Retired Gen. Colin PowellColin Luther PowellChris Wallace to Colbert: US hasn’t seen this level of unrest since 1968 Overnight Defense: Senate confirms US military’s first African American service chief | Navy to ban display of Confederate flags | GOP lawmakers urge Trump not to cut troops in Germany Senate confirms nation’s first African American service chief MORE, the secretary of State under former President George W. Bush, said Sunday he will be voting for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE.
“I certainly cannot in any way support President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE this year,” Powell said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Powell said he is “very close to Joe Biden,” noting that he has worked with the former vice president for four decades.
“He is now the candidate, and I’ll be voting for him,” Powell added.
Powell said Trump “has not been an effective president” and “lies all the time,” starting with his first day in office about the size of the crowd at his inauguration.
“I didn’t vote for him [in 2016]. The situation … has gotten worse,” he said. “Every American citizen has to sit down and think through — don’t listen to everybody out there. Don’t read every newspaper. Use your common sense. Say, ‘Is this good for my country?’”
“Make America not just great but strong for all Americans, not just a couple,” Powell added.
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Trump called Powell a “real stiff” in a tweet after the former general announced his endorsement of Biden.
“Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden. Didn’t Powell say that Iraq had ‘weapons of mass destruction?’ They didn’t, but off we went to WAR!” Trump said.
Colin Powell, a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars, just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden. Didn’t Powell say that Iraq had “weapons of mass destruction?” They didn’t, but off we went to WAR!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 7, 2020
Powell also served as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Clinton.
Powell’s statements come on the heels of a number of condemnations from high-profile current and former military officers on Trump’s handling of nationwide protests over police brutality and racial inequality. Former Trump Defense Secretary James MattisJames Norman MattisMilley discussed resigning from post after Trump photo-op: report Hundreds of West Point alumni call out Esper over military’s role in protests OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill MORE issued a blistering statement Wednesday, calling Trump the first president in his lifetime who is trying to divide Americans.
Powell said he agreed with the criticism.
“We have a Constitution, and we have to follow that Constitution. And the president has drifted away from it,” Powell said.
Powell said he didn’t write a statement, as Mattis did, in response to Trump’s actions because he made his point four years ago when Trump was a presidential candidate.
“When I heard some of the things he was saying, it made it clear that I could not possibly vote for this individual,” Powell said.
He said he was “deeply troubled by the way” Trump was “going around insulting everybody,” noting Trump’s attacks on a gold star mother and the late Sen. John McCainJohn Sidney McCainThe Hill’s Campaign Report: Bad polling data is piling up for Trump Cindy McCain ‘disappointed’ McGrath used image of John McCain in ad attacking McConnell Report that Bush won’t support Trump reelection ‘completely made up,’ spokesman says MORE (R-Ariz.).
“I agree with all my former colleagues,” he said on the criticism over Trump’s response to the protests.
He said that many of the officials now making their voices heard were junior officers when he left the military 25 years ago and that he was “proud of them.”
A handful of Republican lawmakers have also said they agree with Mattis, including Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyMilley discussed resigning from post after Trump photo-op: report Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Attorney says 75-year-old man shoved by Buffalo police suffered brain injury MORE (R-Utah) and Sen. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiMilley discussed resigning from post after Trump photo-op: report OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump administration seeks to use global aid for nuclear projects MORE (R-Alaska), who said she was “struggling” with whether to vote for Trump.
–This report was updated at 10:46 a.m.