BOSTON — Hundreds of current and former national security experts have signed onto a letter endorsing the election of Kamala Harris in 2024, citing a need for “serious leadership” over “vengeful impulsiveness.”

In a letter released Sunday, the more than 700 members of the National Security Leaders for America, a “bipartisan organization comprised of individuals who served in various senior leadership positions that include all six military branches, elected federal and state offices, and various government departments and agencies,” said reelecting former President Donald Trump would be a grave mistake.

“Mr. Trump threatens our democratic system; he has said so himself. He has called for the ‘termination’ of parts of the Constitution. He said he wants to be a ‘dictator,’ and his clarification that he would only be a dictator for a day is not reassuring. He has undermined faith in our elections by repeating lies, without evidence, of “millions” of fraudulent votes,” they wrote.

The list includes, among others, former Secretaries of Defense Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, William Cohen, and William Perry; former CIA Directors, John Brennan, John Deutch, and Gen. Michael Hayden; former Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry; and more than a dozen former cabinet secretaries and service chiefs.

They are joined in signing by more than 100 former and retired ambassadors, hundreds of retired admirals and generals, and dozens more top-ranking formerly-enlisted military leaders.

The group, comprised of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, says they swore an oath to the U.S. Constitution and that they don’t hold loyalty to any one person.

“We do not agree on everything, but we all adhere to two fundamental principles. First, we believe America’s national security requires a serious and capable Commander-in-Chief. Second, we believe American democracy is invaluable. Each generation has a responsibility to defend it. That is why we, the undersigned, proudly endorse Kamala Harris to be the next President of the United States,” they wrote.

The group goes on to quote former President Ronald Reagan, calling the U.S. a “shining city on a hill,” and warning that “in this election, one of President Reagan’s more ominous warnings is equally relevant. ‘Freedom,’ he said, ‘is never more than one generation away from extinction.’”

“Our endorsement of Vice President Harris is an endorsement of freedom and an act of patriotism. It is an endorsement of democratic ideals, of competence, and of relentless optimism in America’s future. We hope you will join us in voting for her,” they wrote.

The Trump campaign responded by taking aim at Harris’ other endorsements, pointing to a recent nod from the National Treasury Employees Union as proof that the vice president is “a weak, failed, dangerously liberal candidate.”

“Bottom line: this endorsement, and the Harris campaign’s effort to elevate it, illustrate exactly how desperate and out of touch she is,” they wrote.

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