Aerial view of the Pentagon building on September 24, 2017.
Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call Group | Getty Images
WASHINGTON – As President Donald Trump scrambles to fuel claims of a stolen election in the last days of his administration, the country’s ten living Secretary of Defense warned Sunday that the U.S. military should play no part in determining the outcome of an American election.
“Each of us has sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. We have not sworn it to an individual or a party,” wrote Defense Secretary Mark Esper. , James Mattis, Ash Carter, Chuck Hagel, Leon Panetta, Dick Cheney, William Cohen, Robert Gates, William Perry and Donald Rumsfeld in a report published Sunday in The Washington Post.
“Attempts to involve the U.S. military in resolving disputes in the election will take us to dangerous, illegal and unconstitutional territory,” the former Secretary of Defense wrote.
“Civil and military officials directing or executing such measures will be responsible for the serious consequences of their actions towards our republic, including criminal penalties,” they added.
The former Secretary of Defense, who has been overseeing America’s military forces for nearly 50 years, argued that “the time for questioning the results” of the US presidential election is over.
“Our election has taken place. Surveys and audits have been done. The courts have addressed appropriate challenges. Governors have confirmed the results. And the Electoral College has voted. The time for questioning the results is over; the time for the formal counting of the results has passed. Electoral College votes, as prescribed in the Constitution and statutes, have arrived, ‘wrote the former Secretary of Defense, including two who served under Trump.
US President Donald Trump speaks while Secretary of Defense James Mattis (L) oversees a meeting with senior military leaders in the White House Cabinet Chamber on October 5, 2017.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images
The secretaries called on Trump’s acting secretary of defense, Christopher Miller, as well as political appointees and government officials to “refrain from political action that undermines the outcome of the election or hinders the success of the new team.”
“We strongly urge them to do as so many generations of Americans have done before them. This final action is in keeping with the highest traditions and professionalism of the U.S. military, and the history of democratic transition in our wonderful country,” they wrote.
Trump, despite a string of failed legal challenges, did not grant the election to Democrat Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated on January 20. Instead, Trump made false claims of a difficult election and pushed members of his own party to make plans to reverse Biden’s victory while opposing their plans.
Over the weekend, Trump’s ambitions came to light in an extraordinarily leaked call with the Republican secretary of state of Georgia.
Speaking to Foreign Secretary Brad Raffensperger, the president said he wanted to find “11,780 votes” that would overthrow Biden’s victory in Georgia, according to audio obtained by NBC News.
Raffensperger resisted Trump’s pressure to change Georgia’s election results, even though the president has made veiled threats about possible criminal prosecution if he is denied.
At least 12 Republican senators have called on Congress to postpone the certification of Biden’s victory during a joint sitting Wednesday. Vice President Mike Pence, who will chair the session, welcomed the senators’ scam, which has no chance of succeeding because Democrats control the House and several Republicans are against it.
The Republican Sens Mitt Romney of Utah, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, expressed strong opposition to attempts to reverse Biden’s victory.
Pro-Trump protests are scheduled to take place in the country’s capital on Wednesday, as Congress convenes to declare Biden the new president and Kamala Harris the vice president. Trump has said he will attend the protests.