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Former President Donald Trump often brags about hiring “the best people.” But the breadth of the criticism aimed at Trump, especially from his own former military and national security officials, sets him apart from any modern president.

John Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general who served as Trump’s chief of staff, recently called his former boss “an authoritarian,” saying he “admires people who are dictators — he has said that. So he certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure.”

Mark Milley, the country’s top military official during the last two years of Trump’s presidency, privately told journalist Bob Woodward that Trump is a “fascist to the core” and said his pursuit of another four years in office makes him “the most dangerous person to this country,” Woodward revealed in a recent book.

Trump and those around him rejected the criticism as little more than sour grapes. The former president has called Milley a “loser” and worse, and has suggested that the decorated military officer should be executed for treason because of efforts to ease concerns among foreign leaders after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol by Trump’s supporters.

But the comments from Kelly and Milley denigrating Trump’s capacity to serve as commander in chief are particularly striking, even as they echo the sentiments from others across his government and many Republicans outside of his administration.

Former generals, admirals, diplomats, intelligence officers and security strategists have publicly or privately accused Trump of being a liar who lacks basic knowledge about the world and represents a danger to democracy. Members of his Cabinet have questioned his loyalty to the country and testified to his chaotic behavior. His press aides have talked about his lack of integrity and his tendency to attack others.

And Mike Pence, his own vice president, has accused him of being reckless and putting himself over the Constitution. And Pence said he walked away from the agenda backed by conservatives. Pence ran against Trump and refused to endorse him.

Only a few of the former president’s advisers have played an active role in trying to defeat Trump’s bid for another four years in power, often citing their belief that military and national security officials should not meddle in partisan politics. Most have not appeared in ads or sat for recent TV interviews. Just a handful have endorsed Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

But they have not disowned their comments about the former president and the danger he poses if he returns to the Oval Office. In recent weeks, Harris has begun running campaign ads citing the comments from some of the former Trump officials as evidence that he is unfit to serve again.

Similar warnings about Trump have come from his other top advisers: almost half of his Cabinet, as well as his attorney general, among others. These officials rang the alarm both during and after Trump’s presidency — in books, interviews, essays, speeches and television appearances.

People who once worked for Trump at the highest levels now describe him as unintelligent, chaotic, a danger to American democracy and more. What follows is not an exhaustive list, but rather a representative collection of criticism from Trump’s top advisers.

A Threat to Democracy

Trump’s national security aides repeatedly described him as a danger to the country and to democracy. Many cited the Jan. 6 violence and his reaction to it as evidence of how he posed a threat to the country’s laws and norms. Others predicted a return to the White House would damage the country’s national security.

“Surely you can’t mean Hitler’s generals? And he said, ‘Yeah, yeah, Hitler’s generals.’” — Kelly, in a recent interview, recalling when Trump praised the loyalty shown by German generals.

“Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us.” — James Mattis, secretary of defense

“Donald Trump will cause a lot of damage if he is elected in a second term.” — John Bolton, national security adviser

“The American people deserve to know that President Trump asked me to put him over my oath to the Constitution, but I kept my oath and I always will. I’m running for president in part because I think that anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States.” — Pence

Ill-Informed and Incurious

Several officials have publicly questioned Trump’s intelligence, accusing him of knowing little about history and saying they observed him struggling to understand the complexities of the presidency. Some said he appeared not to be interested in learning about the issues he confronted.

“Trump lacked basic knowledge of how the government runs, and his impatience with learning about the roles of his senior officials and about alternative models for decision-making limited his ability to lead. When there was conflict, he avoided it or, at times, stoked it.” — Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, national security adviser

“His understanding of global events, his understanding of global history, his understanding of U.S. history was really limited. It’s really hard to have a conversation with someone who doesn’t even understand the concept for why we’re talking about this.” — Rex Tillerson, secretary of state

“His short attention span (except on matters of personal advantage) renders coherent foreign policy almost unattainable. The United States missed an incalculable number of opportunities in Trump’s first term because senior officials necessarily concentrated on keeping a few key policies on track.” — Bolton

A Disdain For the Truth

Some members of Trump’s national security team accused him of lying while he was president. Several said he fabricated stories or willingly ignored facts. Others said they witnessed him lying about the results of the 2020 election despite knowing the truth.

“Trump was caught in a vortex created by the interaction of those narratives with the fragility of his ego and his deep sense of aggrievement.” — McMaster

“Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that.” — James Comey, FBI director, after Trump fired him from his job

“So many people who had access to his ear who were telling him things, most of which were untrue, and then he began to listen to those voices and form a view that had no basis in fact.” — Tillerson

Misplacement of Loyalty

Some former aides said Trump was not loyal to his constituents because he failed to follow a standard conservative agenda. Many questioned his loyalty to the country after witnessing his actions after the 2020 election. Others said he proved disloyal by ignoring rules that govern how sensitive documents are handled.

“His ego and love of self distorted his perception of the 2020 presidential election. His sense of betrayal drove him to abandon his oath to ‘support and defend the Constitution,’ a president’s highest obligation.” — McMaster

“He thought I would be loyal and obedient to him. I told him we were loyal to our oath to the Constitution. If he told you to slit someone’s throat, he thought you would go out and do it.” — Kelly

“The president has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military, to fight ethically or to be governed by a uniform set of rules and practices.” — Richard Spencer, secretary of the Navy

Disorderly and Undisciplined

National security advisers and military officials working for Trump said he created political and diplomatic chaos while in office. Some said they believed he enjoyed causing discord, while others said he pursued policies that triggered strife and disagreement among global allies. Some said he had a temper that added to the sense of chaos.

“He acts on his instincts. In some respects, that looks like impulsiveness, but it’s not his intent to act on impulse. I think he really is trying to act on his instincts.” — Tillerson

“He’s getting meaner and more offensive by the day. He’s trying to bully me and anyone who supports me.” — Nikki Haley, U.N. ambassador, while she was running against Trump for the Republican nomination

“A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.” — Kelly

A Lawbreaker in Multiple Cases

Several of his national security advisers noted that Trump faces multiple indictments, including federal charges that he sought to overturn the 2020 election. He has denied breaking the law in all of the cases.

“This is beyond wrong and illegal. It’s un-American. The President undermined American democracy baselessly for months.” — Tom Bossert, homeland security adviser, after the assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6

“I’ve never seen a defendant beg for it more. By attacking the judge, attacking the jury, attacking the witnesses.” — Comey, when asked if Trump would be sentenced to jail time after being convicted of falsifying business records.

“Today’s violent assault on our Capitol, an effort to subjugate American democracy by mob rule, was fomented by Trump.” — Mattis

Lacking in Integrity

One common theme among the former president’s most senior military and national security officials was what some described as a lack of integrity. Several said he was motivated only by self-interest, rather than what was good for the country or the government. Others commented on his ego or used the word “unfit” to describe him.

“I think he’s unfit for office. … He puts himself before country. His actions are all about him and not about the country.” — Mark Esper, secretary of defense

“The facts, however, are clear that he is unfit to be President. If his first four years were bad, a second four will be worse, dismaying many ardent supporters.” — McMaster

“This president is unethical, and untethered to truth and institutional values. His leadership is transactional, ego driven, and about personal loyalty.” — Comey

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

© 2024 The New York Times Company