Trump fires top US officials — Former defense secretaries reacted
US President Donald Trump has fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior officers. His actions were condemned by five former defense secretaries and called on the US Congress to stop any confirmation of their successors.
This was reported by Reuters on Friday, February 28.
Personnel changes in the United States
Former Pentagon chiefs condemned Trump's "reckless" firing of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior officers.
In the letter, they accused the new president of seeking to turn the apolitical US military into an instrument of party politics. The former secretaries also believe that Trump is using the dismissals to "eliminate legal restrictions on presidential power".
The former defense ministers called on the US House and Senate to hold hearings to assess the national security implications of Trump's firings.
"President Trump's actions undermine our all-volunteer force and weaken our national security," the letter reads.
The letter was signed by James Mattis, William Perry, Leon Panetta, Chuck Hagel, and Lloyd Austin, the latter three of whom served as secretaries under the administrations of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.
The article says that Trump announced the personnel changes on the evening of February 27, but his administration has not yet explained the reasons for the unprecedented reshuffle.
What is the threat of Trump's decision
Former defense secretaries warned in a letter that the Pentagon's actions could "scare Americans" away from choosing a military career if their careers are evaluated "through the prism of party politics".
"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," they added.
Earlier, the United States has agreed to increase military assistance to Ukraine. Donald Trump also said that the resource agreement could become a "pillar" for Ukraine. However, the US president is ready to discuss security guarantees only after the deal is signed.