“We write to urge the US Congress to hold Mr. Trump to account for these reckless actions and to exercise fully its constitutional oversight responsibilities,” added the letter by former defense chiefs, who served under both Democratic and Republican presidents over the past three decades.
In February, Trump began a major overhaul of the US Defense Department, dismissing high-ranking officers and planning to cut thousands of civilian jobs, bringing the Pentagon into the political spotlight.
Some of the firings, such as former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman CQ Brown, were of officials who customarily keep their jobs when the presidency changes hands. Others, such as the Defense Department inspector general, served as independent watchdogs to ensure no wrongdoing.
Democrats have criticized Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alleging that they are attempting to politicize the military and ensure it is headed by individuals who are personally loyal to the president, not to the rule of law.
The letter was signed by Lloyd Austin, the most recent defense chief under Trump's Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, as well as James Mattis, who served in Trump's first administration in 2017-2018, along with William Perry, Chuck Hagel, and Leon Panetta.
They wrote: “Mr. Trump’s dismissals raise troubling questions about the administration’s desire to politicize the military and to remove legal constraints on the President’s power."
“President Trump’s actions undermine our all-volunteer force and weaken our national security,” they added.
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