“Country over party” has become the rallying cry for a faction of Republicans dismayed by the GOP’s capture by former President Donald Trump, now a convicted felon. These Republicans are alarmed by the blind loyalty shown by many party members who support Trump despite his falsehoods and threats to the nation.
Consider a hypothetical scenario where Democrats face a similar dilemma: What if their presidential nominee were a corrupt, convicted felon, facing multiple indictments, dismissive of the rule of law, and had incited supporters to protest a legitimate election loss? Imagine former Senator Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat convicted of bribery and obstruction of justice, as the nominee, competing against a Republican like former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley or New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu. Faced with the prospect of conservative Supreme Court appointments, economic policies favoring the wealthy, or an aggressive foreign policy, some Democrats might reluctantly vote for Menendez or choose a protest write-in candidate. However, Democrats who value integrity and character in the White House would likely vote for the Republican candidate, intending to address policy issues later.
This is the stance taken by many “country over party” Republicans today. Recognizing the existential threat posed by Trump, they are loudly supporting, and sometimes even campaigning for, a Democrat despite significant policy disagreements. Notable GOP supporters of Harris include Liz Cheney, former chair of the House Republican Conference, and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, along with former Secretaries of Defense Bill Cohen and Chuck Hagel, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, ex-Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, former Congressman Adam Kinzinger, former U.S. Court of Appeals Judge J. Michael Luttig, former CIA and FBI Director William Webster, and Christine Todd Whitman, former New Jersey governor and cabinet member.
However, other prominent Republicans and former military leaders who privately or publicly acknowledge Trump as a threat have yet to take a stand. They have three weeks to rise to the occasion and act in America’s best interest.
Former President George W. Bush, known for his disdain for Trump, has remained silent, reportedly to maintain a voice in the post-Trump GOP and to protect the political future of younger Bush family members. Yet, unless Trump is decisively rejected, the Bushes will continue to be outcasts in Trump’s GOP. George P. Bush, Texas Land Commissioner, experienced this firsthand when Trump endorsed his opponent, Ken Paxton, despite Paxton’s legal troubles.
George W. Bush’s silence is notable as there is no modern precedent for a former president failing to endorse his party’s candidate. His father, the late President George H.W. Bush, voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. The question for George W. Bush, his brother Jeb Bush, and others like Jim Baker, former Secretary of State, is whether they prioritize the country or party. They abhor Trump’s contempt for law and democracy, so why haven’t they spoken up?
While they may disagree with Harris’s policies, she does not pose an existential threat to democracy. This is a binary choice: either Harris or Trump will be the next president. Voting for a third-party candidate, as some Republicans like former House Speaker Paul Ryan have suggested, is effectively a vote for Trump. Reagan conservative John Pitney, who abstained in 2016, now regrets it, acknowledging that not voting for Harris is an indirect vote for Trump.
Retired military leaders also have a crucial role. Although 740 former military, national security, and foreign policy leaders endorsed Harris last month, influential figures like James Mattis, Trump’s former Secretary of Defense, and John Kelly, his former Chief of Staff, have not. Despite their severe criticisms of Trump, neither has endorsed Harris.
Concerns about partisan endorsements by retired generals should not prevent them from speaking up. Historical precedents exist, such as David Shoup, a Medal of Honor recipient and former commandant of the Marine Corps, who criticized President Lyndon Johnson after retiring. Retired Admiral Steve Abbot, a Homeland Security adviser under George W. Bush, endorsed Harris, citing the significant risk Trump poses to democracy.
If Bush, Mattis, Kelly, and others view this election as an ordinary contest, their silence is understandable. However, if they share the fears expressed by many prominent Republicans and national security leaders about a second Trump term, their silence is unacceptable and endangers the nation.
Washington columnist Albert R. Hunt has covered U.S. politics and presidential campaigns since 1972, with experience at the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, and the International New York Times. His weekly podcast and additional writings are available on Substack.
