FACT SHEET: June 17, 2020 Overwhelming Opposition from Retired Admirals, Generals, Diplomats, and other National Security Professionals to the Trump Administration’s Attempts to Militarize Protest Response Letter From 38 Retired Admirals and Generals Opposing Military Deployments to Counter Protests 89 former Defense officials: The military must never be used to violate constitutional rights Statement by 500+ Former U.S. Ambassadors, Military Officers, Senior Officials: The Strength of America’s Apolitical Military 58 Retired U.S. Generals and Admirals Reject Trump's Undermining of Constitutional Rights Statement by 23 Former Homeland and National Security Officials Former Secretary of State Colin Powell: Trump has 'drifted away' from the Constitution Former Defense Secretary James Mattis Denounces President Trump, Describes Him as a Threat to the Constitution Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates: Pushing Away Peaceful Protestors Was ‘A Bad Mistake’ Former Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly: 'I agree' with Jim Mattis on Trump Former Defense Secretary William Perry: ‘I am outraged at the deplorable behavior of our President and Defense Secretary Esper’ Former Under Secretary of Defense James Miller: A letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper General (Ret.) Martin Dempsey: Trump's 'inflammatory' threat to use active duty troops hurts US military Admiral (Ret.) Mike Mullen: I Cannot Remain Silent General (Ret.) Richard Myers: 'I'm glad I don't have to advise this President' General (Ret.) Michael Hayden: ‘Milley...should not have walked over to the church with Trump’ Admiral (Ret.) William McRaven: Clearing of peaceful protesters not morally right General (Ret.) John Allen: A Moment of National Shame and Peril—and Hope Admiral (Ret.) James Stavridis: I Spent My Career in the U.S. Navy. The U.S. Military Must Stand Up for Its Soul in This Moment General (Ret.) Joseph Votel: An apolitical military is essential to maintaining balance among American institutions FACT SHEET: June 17, 2020 General (Ret.) Tony Thomas: ‘Not what America needs to hear’ General (Ret.): Barry McCaffrey: ‘Using military forces other than Nat Guard would be inflammatory’ General (Ret.) Vincent Brooks: ‘I see the manipulation of the image of the military by our President’ Lieutenant General (Ret.) Mark Hertling: ‘…President Trump's chipping away at Constitution norms over the last 3+ years. We've seen a crescendo and a constant deterioration, and in the last three days it has reached an inflection point’ Vice Admiral (Ret.) Mike Franken: ‘[The military] is not a weapon to use against our citizens or our states’ Lieutenant General (Ret.) James Pillsbury: Trump’s threat to deploy active duty military could be ‘disastrous’ Major General (Ret.) Dana Pittard: ‘At this point it is something that law enforcement can handle’ Brigadier General (Ret.) Loree Sutton: Federal troops should not be used unless state governors require ‘additional reinforcements’ to ‘quell domestic unrest’ .