top of page

What They Think of Trump Now

The world has never before witnessed so many former top U.S. government officials warning about the president for whom they once worked. Not in these numbers and not with the same stark conclusion that President Trump in their view is unfit for the office he holds. The office he's asking you to return him to for a second term.  
                   --Jake Tapper, CNN 10/18/20

Many of the following testimonials come from the CNN special 
"The Insiders, A Warning from Former Trump Officials."
Click the button below for a transcript of the program

"January 6th was a tragic day in the life of our nation. On that fateful day President Trump's words were reckless and endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol. But on that day President Trump also demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. I believe that anyone that puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States and anyone who asks someone else to put them over the Constitution should never be president of the United States again." --C-SPAN 6/7/2023 "It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump." --Fox News 3/15/2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVfN5cAW7K0

Mike Pence

Vice President

"January 6th was a tragic day in the life of our nation. On that fateful day President Trump's words were reckless and endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol. But on that day President Trump also demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution. I believe that anyone that puts themselves over the Constitution should never be president of the United States and anyone who asks someone else to put them over the Constitution should never be president of the United States again." --C-SPAN 6/7/2023

"It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump." --Fox News 3/15/2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVfN5cAW7K0

“The president has not only disregarded this threat [of Russian interference in our elections], he has flagrantly disregarded this threat to the point that we were told by the White House not to raise issues about Russia with the president. We considered the threat from Russia and their interference in our democratic affairs to be one of the top three Homeland Security challenges facing the nation. ...You would be hard pressed to say that the president considered it anywhere in the top 25.” --CNN 10/18/20

Miles Taylor

Chief of Staff Dept. Homeland Security

“The president has not only disregarded this threat [of Russian interference in our elections], he has flagrantly disregarded this threat to the point that we were told by the White House not to raise issues about Russia with the president. We considered the threat from Russia and their interference in our democratic affairs to be one of the top three Homeland Security challenges facing the nation. ...You would be hard pressed to say that the president considered it anywhere in the top 25.”
--CNN 10/18/20

"President Trump refuses to admit that we have a problem [the pandemic]. He is in complete denial. And he forces everyone around him to buy in and repeat that narrative. [That's] what's causing more deaths today. He needs to admit the truth and be honest with Americans." --CNN 10/18/20

Rick Bright

Head of Biomedical Advanced Research & Development Authority

"President Trump refuses to admit that we have a problem [the pandemic]. He is in complete denial. And he forces everyone around him to buy in and repeat that narrative. [That's] what's causing more deaths today. He needs to admit the truth and be honest with Americans." --CNN 10/18/20

"[Trump] took an oath to protect our country from all enemies foreign and domestic. And right now, his rhetoric [not condemning white supremacy] is actually...aiding and abetting our enemies. He is absolutely in violation of his oath. And I think it walks up to the line if not crosses the line of treason in terms of making our country less safe." --CNN 10/18/20 "This is what a second term would be: There would be no adults in the room to say 'No Mr. President, you can't do that. That's illegal or that's unconstitutional.' It would just be utter chaos." "The mafia culture around Trump is real. I have people in my life that were threatened, both kind of implied physical threats, but also...financial threats: 'We'll make sure you never work again.'" --The Bulwark podcast 5/7/24

Elizabeth Neumann

Assistant Sec'y Homeland Security

"[Trump] took an oath to protect our country from all enemies foreign and domestic. And right now, his rhetoric [not condemning white supremacy] is actually...aiding and abetting our enemies. He is absolutely in violation of his oath. And I think it walks up to the line if not crosses the line of treason in terms of making our country less safe." --CNN 10/18/20

"This is what a second term would be: There would be no adults in the room to say 'No Mr. President, you can't do that. That's illegal or that's unconstitutional.' It would just be utter chaos."

"The mafia culture around Trump is real. I have people in my life that were threatened, both kind of implied physical threats, but also...financial threats: 'We'll make sure you never work again.'"
--The Bulwark podcast 5/7/24

"[Trump] is a consummate narcissist. And he constantly engages in reckless conduct. He will always put his own interest and gratifying his own ego ahead of everything else, including the country's interest. Our country can't be a therapy session for a troubled man like this." --CBS June 2023 But Barr has since gone on to endorse Trump for President in 2024 "I feel it's my duty to pick the person who I think would do the least damage to the country and I think Trump would do less damage than Biden and I think all this stuff about a threat to democracy...I think the real threat to democracy is the progressive movement and the Biden administration." --CNN April 26, 2024

Bill Barr

Attorney General (2nd of 2)

"[Trump] is a consummate narcissist. And he constantly engages in reckless conduct. He will always put his own interest and gratifying his own ego ahead of everything else, including the country's interest. Our country can't be a therapy session for a troubled man like this."
--CBS June 2023

But Barr has since gone on to endorse Trump for President in 2024

"I feel it's my duty to pick the person who I think would do the least damage to the country and I think Trump would do less damage than Biden and I think all this stuff about a threat to democracy...I think the real threat to democracy is the progressive movement and the Biden administration." --CNN April 26, 2024

"During Donald Trump's presidency, the department was pushed to spend nearly all of the time on immigration border security issues...very important issues, but there were many other very vital functions Homeland Secuirty carries out to secure the nation. Those sometimes got short shrift." --CNN 10/18/20 "Voting for the other side is also hard. For most, it requires more than a mere preference—it requires a compelling reason or even a sense that there is no choice. In 2024, there is a compelling reason to vote for Biden. There is no real choice if the Constitution is to endure." --posting on X, 6/11/24

John Mitnick

General Counsel Dept. Homeland Security

"During Donald Trump's presidency, the department was pushed to spend nearly all of the time on immigration border security issues...very important issues, but there were many other very vital functions Homeland Secuirty carries out to secure the nation. Those sometimes got short shrift." --CNN 10/18/20

"Voting for the other side is also hard. For most, it requires more than a mere preference—it requires a compelling reason or even a sense that there is no choice. In 2024, there is a compelling reason to vote for Biden. There is no real choice if the Constitution is to endure." --posting on X, 6/11/24

"Donald Trump doesn't respect the Constitution!" -- "Trump hijacked the Republican Party!" -- "Trump doesn't care about this country!" -- "Trump is trying to be a king." -- "Trump is a narcissistic toddler!" __ "Trump's relationship with Putin bothers me." -- "I will support a Democrat over Trump any day of the week!" https://www.youtube.com/@RepublicanVotersAgainstTrump/videos

Republican Voters Against Trump

Former Trump voters who now refuse to support him for president again.

"Donald Trump doesn't respect the Constitution!" -- "Trump hijacked the Republican Party!" -- "Trump doesn't care about this country!" -- "Trump is trying to be a king." -- "Trump is a narcissistic toddler!" __ "Trump's relationship with Putin bothers me." -- "I will support a Democrat over Trump any day of the week!"

https://www.youtube.com/@RepublicanVotersAgainstTrump/videos

Author of "Blowback, A Warning to Save Democracy from the Next Trump." Click the first link for a January 2024 interview with Alex Witt on MSNBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBGte10OCwo Click the second link for an April 2024 interview with Jim Lokay on Fox 5 Washington DC's "The Final 5" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G85Zdpno17E

Miles Taylor, Part 2

DHS Chief of Staff

Author of "Blowback, A Warning to Save Democracy from the Next Trump."

Click the first link for a January 2024 interview with Alex Witt on MSNBC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBGte10OCwo

Click the second link for an April 2024 interview with Jim Lokay on Fox 5 Washington DC's "The Final 5"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G85Zdpno17E

"I think [Trump] is unfit for office. He puts himself before country. His actions are all about him and not about the country. And then, I believe he has integrity and character issues as well." --CNN November 2022

Mark Esper

Sec'y of Defense (2nd of 3)

"I think [Trump] is unfit for office. He puts himself before country. His actions are all about him and not about the country. And then, I believe he has integrity and character issues as well." --CNN November 2022

"I found a president who was uninterested in the challenges to U.S. national security, who was preoccupied with profit making and willing to betray the ideals of U.S. democracy and the rule of law in order to cozy up to dictators and sell weapons. This was an unserious leader who didn't understand the challenges and the opportunities that were before him.” --CNN 10/18/20

Kyle Murphy

Senior Analyst Defense Intelligence Agency

"I found a president who was uninterested in the challenges to U.S. national security, who was preoccupied with profit making and willing to betray the ideals of U.S. democracy and the rule of law in order to cozy up to dictators and sell weapons. This was an unserious leader who didn't understand the challenges and the opportunities that were before him.”
--CNN 10/18/20

"Donald Trump will never understand [military] service the way those who have actually served in uniform will, and it's one of the countless reasons he's unfit to be commander in chief." --CNN Click the link for Aidan McLaughlin's interview with Griffin on Mediaite's "Press Club" 6/14/24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84T7lz3fMA4

Alyssa Farah Griffin

White House Communications Director

"Donald Trump will never understand [military] service the way those who have actually served in uniform will, and it's one of the countless reasons he's unfit to be commander in chief." --CNN

Click the link for Aidan McLaughlin's interview with Griffin on Mediaite's "Press Club" 6/14/24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84T7lz3fMA4

“If the people don't have confidence in their government and how it works to serve them, then we're moving into dangerous places. If there's four more years of [Trump’s] self-centered, it's all about me and everything else is either part of a deep state or some sort of, you know, hoax, I worry about that confidence that's necessary for our democracy to continue.” --CNN 10/18/20

Robert Cardillo

Director National Geospatial Intelligence Agency

“If the people don't have confidence in their government and how it works to serve them, then we're moving into dangerous places. If there's four more years of [Trump’s] self-centered, it's all about me and everything else is either part of a deep state or some sort of, you know, hoax, I worry about that confidence that's necessary for our democracy to continue.” --CNN 10/18/20

bottom of page