“[It is] so important to see the country’s secretaries of defence sending this message,” wrote Risa Brooks, a Marquette University associate professor studying civil-military relations and political violence. “Transitions, which all of us have experienced, are a crucial part of the successful transfer of power. Dr. Robert M. Gates served as U.S. Secretary of Defense from December 2006 to July 2011. We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. “The civilians who run the military need to be front and centre in conveying this message to the public and not leave it to the military alone.”, 'I just want 11,780 votes': Trump pressed Georgia to overturn Biden victory, Among the signatories was James Mattis, who served as defence secretary in the Trump administration. All 10 former US defence secretaries still living, including two who worked for Donald Trump, have called for the president and his supporters to accept he lost the election and warned against attempts to involve the military in his increasingly desperate efforts to overturn the result. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. This content is currently not available in your region. June 3, 2020 Retired Marine general James Mattis, who resigned as President Trump’s Secretary of Defense in 2018, broke his silence on the administration in a statement Wednesday, saying he … By Nick Visser Every living former secretary of defense, including two who served under President Donald Trump, signed an extraordinary rebuke of efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 election as the White House and many congressional Republicans prepare to contest the certification of the Electoral College vote on Wednesday. See our, Read a limited number of articles each month, You consent to the use of cookies and tracking by us and third parties to provide you with personalized ads, Unlimited access to washingtonpost.com on any device, Unlimited access to all Washington Post apps, No on-site advertising or third-party ad tracking. Former defense secretary explains motivation behind letter Former Defense Secretary William Cohen talks to CNN's Ana Cabrera about a letter signed by … Among the signatories were James Mattis and Mark Esper, who both served as defence secretaries in the Trump administration. The other signatories were William Perry and William Cohen, defence secretaries in the Bill Clinton administration; Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel and Ashton Carter, who served under Barack Obama; and Robert Gates, who served under both the younger Bush and Obama. Biden Plans to Tap Lloyd Austin, Former Iraq Commander, as Defense Secretary The retired four-star Army general would make history as the first African-American to lead the Pentagon. James Mattis, Mr Trump’s first defence secretary, and Mark Esper, who was sacked in November, were more reluctant to sign on, according to people … Acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller ordered the director of the National Security Agency to install a Trump loyalist as the agency’s … Download Hi-res. The longest-serving secretary of defense is Robert McNamara, who served for a total of 7 years, 39 days. Cohen told the Post he was concerned by the mention of the possibility of martial law by the former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, especially after Trump’s use of the military and other federal forces to remove protesters outside the White House in June. There are concerns over unrest on Wednesday when a dozen Republican senators say they will challenge the normally routine congressional ratification of the electoral college result. Combining his two non-sequential services as the secretary of defense, the second-longest serving is Donald Rumsfeld, who served just ten days fewer than McNamara. Among the former Pentagon heads who signed on to the op-ed include both of President Trump’s defense secretaries, James Mattis and Mark Esper. In an extraordinary condemnation, the former defense secretary backs protesters and says the president is trying to turn Americans against one another. “They can be a moment when the nation is vulnerable to actions by adversaries seeking to take advantage of the situation.”. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The United States Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) is the head of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). We rely on readers like you to uphold a free press. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The role was made in 1947. They called on the current defence secretary, Christopher Miller, and his officials to resume cooperation with the Biden transition team, who had complained their briefings had been cut off and the Pentagon had ceased answering their inquiries. Mexican prosecutors on Thursday declared completely unfounded the U.S. case against a former defense secretary arrested on drug charges in the … NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Leon Panetta, former defense secretary and CIA director under President Barack Obama, about the occupation of … Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen tells CNN's Don Lemon that President Donald Trump's tendency towards misinformation is a threat to democracy in the United States. Dick Cheney, defence secretary under George HW Bush, and vice-president to his son, George W Bush, and Donald Rumsfeld, defence secretary in the younger Bush’s administration, also signed. “Civilian and military officials who direct or carry out such measures would be accountable, including potentially facing criminal penalties, for the grave consequences of their actions on our republic.”. Dick Cheney, defence secretary under George HW Bush, and vice-president to his son, George W Bush, and Donald Rumsfeld, defence secretary … The Secretary of State for Defence, also referred to as the Defence Secretary, is a senior … Former Secretaries of Defense Ashton Carter, Dick Cheney, William Cohen, Robert Gates, Chuck Hagel, Leon Panetta, William Perry, and Donald Rumsfeld, signed the … €5 every 4 weeks or just €50 €20 for the first year, €7 every 4 weeks or just €70 €30 for the first year. The Washington Post quoted Eric Edelman, a former US ambassador and defence official, as saying the genesis of the remarkable letter was a conversation he had with Cheney about how the military might be used in coming days. Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel argued on "Cavuto: Coast to Coast" on Wednesday that “all elected officials” need to be held accountable … A group of 15 former Defense officials on Monday sent a letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee backing a waiver that would allow President-elect Joe Biden’s Defense secretary … The second-longest unbroken tenure was Caspar Weinberger's, at 6 years, 306 days. … NORTH ANDOVER, Mass., Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 6K, the world's leading developer of microwave plasma technology for the production of advanced materials, today announced that Dr. Joe Felter, a former senior Department of Defense official under then Secretary of Defense James Mattis, has joined 6K's advisory board.Dr. Ashton Carter, Dick Cheney, William Cohen, Mark Esper, Robert Gates, Chuck Hagel, James Mattis, Leon Panetta, William Perry and Donald Rumsfeld are … Trump has urged his supporters to rally in Washington, tweeting: “Be there, will be wild!” The far right Proud Boys are expected to be among the pro-Trump crowd in the capital. Esper openly contradicted Trump in June by insisting there were no grounds for invoking the Insurrection Act, which allows for the deployment of US troops on American streets in extreme circumstances. Unprecedented letter calls on voted-out president to accept Joe Biden’s election victory amid growing fears over his behaviour, Last modified on Tue 5 Jan 2021 01.51 GMT. The former defence secretary said that while it falls to law enforcement to prevent future riots, there is "no question" that Trump set off Wednesday's siege. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Monday renewed his attack on the U.S. investigation of a former Mexican defense secretary and warned that … By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. “Efforts to involve the US armed forces in resolving election disputes would take us into dangerous, unlawful and unconstitutional territory,” the letter said. In an unprecedented joint letter published in the Washington Post, the defence secretaries addressed the worst fears of what could happen in 17 days of Trump’s administration remaining before Joe Biden’s inauguration: an attempt by Trump to foment a crisis with the aim of triggering a military intervention in his last-ditch struggle to hold on power. Former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose 2000 electoral victory alongside George W. Bush ultimately came down to a Supreme Court decision , … Former Secretary of Defense. Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, and the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Gen. Mark Milley, argued against invoking the … “It’s a very dangerous course of action that needs to be called out before it happens,” Cohen said. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. Former Defense Secretary Mattis blasts Trump about protest response In an extraordinary rebuke, General James Mattis blasted President Donald Trump for how he handled the protests, calling him a divisive force and a “threat to the Constitution.” Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, FILE All 10 living former secretaries of defense signed a column published in The Washington Post on Sunday that urged the Trump administration to allow a peaceful transition of power … Jeffrey Goldberg June 3, 2020. They often occur at times of international uncertainty about US national security policy and posture,” the former defence secretaries wrote. Among the former Pentagon heads who signed on to the op-ed include both of President Trump’s defense secretaries, James Mattis and Mark Esper. 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