September 19, 2016

AN OPEN LETTER: DONALD TRUMP

UNFIT TO BE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief. We, the
undersigned, believe Trump is not capable of leading our military or our country for two reasons.
First, we reject his character and temperament. Given the challenges our country faces today,
America needs a Commander-in-Chief with proven qualities of wisdom, experience, resolve, and
rationality.
Trump has none of these. His behavior is unbecoming of the office he seeks. On the campaign
trail, he has shown himself to be reckless, vindictive, and petulant, spewing racist and
misogynistic ideas. His hate-mongering pits Americans against one another and alienates our
allies at a time when we should be united against those who would do us harm.
Second, we reject Donald Trumps disastrous policy positions, such as we can discern them.
Specifically, we reject:

Trumps opposition to a humane pathway to earned citizenship and costly effort to

construct a wall separating Mexico from the United States;
Trump's flawed belief that "not everybody wants" universal human rights and values;
Trump's divisive proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States;
Trump's ghastly embrace of torture;
Trump's dangerous encouragement of nuclear proliferation in Asia;
Trump's transactional, exploitive view of America's greatest alliances; and
Trump's ridiculous assertion that our military is weaker than in the 1990's.

We believe, as president, Donald Trump would simply make America less safe.
Signed,

The Honorable Adam Smith (D-WA), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services
Committee.
The Honorable Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Member of the House Armed Services Committee,
Iraq War veteran.
The Honorable Seth Moulton (D-MA), Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Iraq
War veteran.
The Honorable. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Member of the House Armed Services Committee,
Iraq War veteran.
The Honorable Mike Thompson (D-CA), Member of the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence, military veteran.
The Honorable Ted Lieu (D-CA), military veteran.
The Honorable Patrick Murphy (D-FL), Member of the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence.
The Honorable Jim Himes (D-CT), Member of the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence.
The Honorable Scott Peters (D-CA), Member of the House Armed Services Committee.
The Honorable Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Member of the Permanent Select Committee on
Intelligence.
The Honorable Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Member representing Naval Base Kitsap.