Former US ambassadors to Bulgaria among signatories of ‘Assault on American Democracy: Call to Action’ letter

Four former United States ambassadors to Bulgaria are among more than 200 former senior US diplomatic and security leaders who have signed an open letter that says that President Trump and his administration have assaulted the pillars of US democracy and the country’s strength around the world.

The letter is titled “The Assault on American Democracy: A Call to Action”.

Signatories include Avis Bohlen, US ambassador to Bulgaria from 1996 to 1999 and a former Assistant Secretary of State, John Beyrle, US ambassador to Bulgaria from 2005 to 2008, Nancy McEldowney, US ambassador to Bulgaria from 2008 to 2009 and former National Security Adviser to the Vice President, and Eric Rubin, US ambassador to Bulgaria from 2016 to 2019 and former President of the American Foreign Service Association.

This is the text of the letter, with the full list of signatories below:

As American diplomats around the world and national security leaders here at home, we saw no greater cause than serving our fellow citizens. We swore to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Foreign and domestic. None of us thought the second part of that phrase wouldever come into play — until now.

American global leadership has depended on many factors, including political, economic, and military power. But most important was the moral foundation for that power — America as an example to others. Though our actions didn’t always live up to our ideals, we stood for simple but powerful ideas that people everywhere embraced: democracy, equality, individual liberty, and human rights.

That moral foundation is now in grave danger. The challenge comes from within, as President Trump and his administration have assaulted the pillars of our democracy here at home and our strength around the world.

Internationally, Trump has questioned the value of long-standing alliances in Europe and Asia. On our borders, he has poisoned ties with our closest neighbors. He has undermined the bedrock principle of world peace that sovereign borders will be respected. The United States now seeks to lay claim to Greenland, the Panama Canal, and Canada, greenlighting other countries to proceed as they see fit, most notably Russia in Ukraine. The global economic order that ushered in a period of unparalleled prosperity for Americans is being undermined by Trump’s senseless tariffs and war on legally binding trade agreements. America as the first responder to global humanitarian crises becomes a distant memory with the dismantling of USAID.

Domestically, Trump is aggressively eliminating constraints on his power and fomenting fear. He is intimidating independent media outlets with frivolous lawsuits. Our universities are retreating from freedom of speech because of explicit threats to withdraw federal monies. Our law firms are being bludgeoned into denying representation to anyone whom this administration does not like. Our medical research centers are seeing an exodus of experts forced out by an administration that does not believe in basic science. Congress and the Department of Justice threaten to impeach sitting judges that rule against the government. Federal trade unions have been shut down by executive order. State governments that challenge the administration face cuts in federal funding. A racist, misogynistic and homophobic mindset is leading to the erasure of history

and national heroes at our cultural institutions. In a country with a proud history of immigration, legal residents are being illegally deported for expressing an opinion. People are whisked off the street by masked officials in unmarked cars or sent off to imprisonment abroad without due process. Trump talks publicly about an unconstitutional third term without a word of concern from his own party.

American democracy and American security are inextricably linked; weaken one and the other inevitably begins to fail. As patriots and public servants from both parties who worked to protect America over many decades, we see that link unraveling at lightning speed. Many of us have served in countries where democratically elected leaders followed a path to autocracy, and we know this crisis requires an urgent and unified response. As a result, we call for the following:

–Former senior officials, including presidents, secretaries of state, secretaries of defense, and chiefs of staff of our military services must jointly and publicly challenge the administration’s dangerous policies and dismantling of essential institutions.

–Business leaders must condemn Trump’s disastrous trade policy which is plunging the global economy into chaos and disrupting supply chains that support millions of jobs.

–Medical institutions, like the CDC, NIH, and major research centers around the country must defend science with non-partisan funding of medical investigation and warn of the dangers of abandoning global engagement on pandemic prevention.

–Universities and media must protect free speech. Without a unified stance, they will be picked off one-by-one and first amendment rights for every American will be in peril.

–Our largest law firms must remain guardians of the rule of law by resisting administration pressure to undermine the legal system of checks and balances which is so fundamental to our democracy.

–Finally, politicians on both sides of the aisle who believe in the core values of our constitution must actively oppose the administration’s efforts to undermine our national security, our freedoms, and our democracy. Waiting passively for the electoral calendar to fight back does nothing more than give the administration additional time and running room to impose its authoritarian stamp ever more securely on government and on all of us.

No American should be silent. No American who cares about our freedoms, our institutions, and our identity as a nation can afford to be a bystander. Each of us in different walks of life must do what we can — speak out, mobilize, defend our way of life. The moment requires nothing less. We must recognize the seriousness of what is taking place and act collectively to restore our democracy and our security. If we do not, the American ideals of liberty, prosperity, and equality will quickly become relics of the past.

Bernadette Allen

US Ambassador, retired

Rand Beers

Former Deputy Homeland Security Advisor

Mark Bellamy

US Ambassador, retired

John Beyrle

US Ambassador, retired

James Bishop

US Ambassador, retired

Charles Blaha

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Anne Bodine

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Avis Bohlen

US Ambassador, retired

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Michele Bond

US Ambassador, retired

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Paul L. Boyd

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Aurelia Brazeal

US Ambassador, retired

Sue Bremner

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Steven Browning

US Ambassador, retired

Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

David Buckley

Former Inspector General, Central Intelligence Agency

Susan F. Burk

Former Special Representative of the President

Peter Burleigh

US Ambassador, retired

Scott Busby

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Prudence Bushnell

US Ambassador, retired

John Butler

Rear Admiral, U. S. Navy, retired

Constance Carrino

Senior Foreign Service Officer, USAID, retired

Steven Cash

Former Senior Advisor, DHS

Former Chief Counsel to Senator Feinstein Former CIA Officer

Asha Castleberry-Hernandez

Senior Executive Service, DOD, retired

Judith Chammas

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Phillip Chicola

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Roberta Cohen

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Ellen Conway

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Frances Cook

US Ambassador, retired

Sarah Cook

Senior Foreign Commercial Service Officer, retired

Thomas Countryman

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Ruth Davis

US Ambassador, retired

Former Director General of the US Foreign Service

David Davison

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Greg Delawie

US Ambassador, retired

Christopher Dell

US Ambassador, retired

Anne E. Derse

US Ambassador, retired

Vicki Divoll

Former General Counsel, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

Mary Draper

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Melvin Dubee

Former Deputy Staff Director, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

Martha Duncan

Senior Executive Service, DOD, retired

William Eacho

Former Ambassador to Austria

William Eaton

US Ambassador, retired

Luigi Einaudi

US Ambassador, retired

Jonathan Elkind

Former Assistant Secretary of Energy

Nancy Ely-Raphel

US Ambassador, retired

Gregory Engle

US Ambassador, retired

Joseph Fallone

Captain, US Navy, retired

John Feeley

US Ambassador, retired

Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Gerald Feierstein

US Ambassador, retired

Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Jeffrey Feltman

US Ambassador, retired

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Mark Fitzpatrick

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Kathleen Fitzpatrick

US Ambassador, retired

Mike Fitzpatrick

US Ambassador, retired

Karen Freeman

Senior Foreign Service Officer, USAID, retired

Bennett Freeman

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Susan Kosinski Fritz

Senior Foreign Service Officer, USAID, retired

Laurie Fulton

Former US Ambassador to Denmark

Julie Furuta-Toy

US Ambassador, retired

Rosemary Gallant

Senior Foreign Commercial Officer, retired

Melvin Gamble

Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA, retired

William Garvelink

US Ambassador, retired

Brian Goldbeck

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Juan Gonzalez

Former Special Assistant to the President

Rose Gottemoeller

Former Undersecretary of State

Deborah Graze

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Eric Green

Former Special Assistant to the President

Jennifer Gregg

Senior Intelligence Officer, retired

Laura Griesmer

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Anne Gruner

Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA, retired

Sheila Gwaltney

US Ambassador, retired

Brent Hartley

US Ambassador, retired

Patricia Haslach

US Ambassador, retired

William Haugh

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

John Heffern

US Ambassador, retired

Robert Herman

Former Policy Planning Staff, Department of State

Catherine Hill-Herndon

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Heather Hodges

US Ambassador, retired

Elizabeth Hopkins

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Sharon Houy

Former Chief of Staff, Defense Intelligence Agency

Jeff Hovenier

US Ambassador, retired

Vicki Huddleston

US Ambassador, retired

Robert Hutchings

Former Chairman, National Intelligence Council

Charles Ikins

Colonel, US Marine Corps, retired

Robert Jackson

US Ambassador, retired

Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Susan Jacobs

US Ambassador, retired

Ali Jalili

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Oliver John

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Kathy Johnson

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Deborah Jones

US Ambassador, retired

Beth Jones

US Ambassador, retired

Former Assistant Secretary of State

John Jones

US Ambassador, retired

Denis Kaufman

Senior Chief Petty Officer, US Navy, retired

Richard Kauzlarich

US Ambassador, retired

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Yvonne Keeler

Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA, retired

Ian Kelly

US Ambassador, retired

Herbert Kemp

Colonel, US Air Force, retired

Laura Kennedy

US Ambassador, retired

Patrick Kennedy

US Ambassador, retired

Former Under Secretary of State

Donald Kerrick

Lieutenant General, U. S. Army, retired Former Deputy National Security Advisor

Scott Kilner

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Harold Hongju Koh

Former Legal Adviser to the Secretary of State

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Christopher Kojm

Former Chair, National Intelligence Council

James Kovar

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Thomas Krajeski

US Ambassador, retired

Anne Kremidas

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

James Kunder

Former Deputy Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development

Daniel Kurtzer

US Ambassador, retired

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Anthony Lake

Former National Security Advisor

Eileen Laubacher

Rear Admiral, US Navy, retired

James Lawler

Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA, retired

Suzan LeVine

Former US Ambassador to Switzerland

Dawn Liberi

US Ambassador, retired

Carmen Lomellin

US Ambassador, retired

Frank Loy

Former Under Secretary of State

Deborah Malac

US Ambassador, retired

Eileen Malloy

US Ambassador, retired

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary State

Angela Maloney

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Noah Mamet

Former US Ambassador to Argentina

Lawrence Mandel

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Steven Mann

US Ambassador, retired

Niels Marquardt

US Ambassador, retired

Dennise Mathieu

US Ambassador, retired

Deborah McCarthy

US Ambassador, retired

Bill McCulla

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Nancy McEldowney

US Ambassador, retired

Former National Security Advisor to the Vice President

Michael McFaul

Former US Ambassador to Russia

Elizabeth McKune

US Ambassador, retired

James Melville, Jr.

US Ambassador, retired

Leo Michel

Senior Executive Service, DoD, retired

Thomas Miller

US Ambassador, retired

Derek Mitchell

Former US Ambassador to Burma (Myanmar)

Luis Moreno

US Ambassador, retired

Joseph Myers

Former Chief Risk Officer, US International Development Finance Corporation

James Nealon

US Ambassador, retired

Brian H. Nilsson

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Suzanne Nossel

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Joseph Nye

Former Assistant Secretary of Defense

Geoffrey Odlum

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Ted Osius

US Ambassador, retired

Maurice S, Parker

US Ambassador, retired

David Passage

US Ambassador, retired

Michael Pelletier

US Ambassador, retired

Robert Perry

US Ambassador, retired

David Petri

Commander, US Navy, retired

James Petti

US Ambassador, retired

Annie Pforzheimer

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Randal Phillips

Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA, retired

William Piekney

Senior Intelligence Officer, CIA, retired

Steven Pifer

US Ambassador, retired

Michael Polt

US Ambassador, retired

Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Michael Posner

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Ned Price

Former Spokesperson, Department of State

Charles Ray

US Ambassador, retired

Helen Reed-Rowe

US Ambassador, retired

Stacy Rhodes

Senior Foreign Service Officer, USAID, retired

Susan Rice

Former National Security Advisor

Former U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations

John Ries

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Thomas Robertson

US Ambassador, retired

Enrique Roig

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Peter Romero

US Ambassador, retired

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Jeremy Rosner

Former Special Assistant to the President

Leslie Rowe

US Ambassador, retired

Eric Rubin

US Ambassador, retired

Former President, American Foreign Service Association

Richard Sanders

Senior Executive Service, DoD, retired

Janet Sanderson

US Ambassador, retired

Teresita Schaffer

US Ambassador, retired

Mark Schneider

Former Assistant Administrator, USAID

Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Eric Schwartz

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Kyle Scott

US Ambassador, retired

Tod Sedgwick

Former US Ambassador the Slovak Republic

Michael Senko

US Ambassador, retired

Mattie Sharpless

US Ambassador, retired

Dana Shell Smith

US Ambassador, retired

Dilpreet Sidhu

Former Executive Secretary of the National Security Council

Emil Skodon

US Ambassador, retired

Adrian Snead

Former Counsel and Foreign Policy Advisor to Senator Jeffrey Merkley

Sylvia Stanfield

US Ambassador, retired

Gregory Starr

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Adam Sterling

US Ambassador, retired

Clyde Taylor

US Ambassador, retired

Harry Thomas

US Ambassador, retired

Former Director General of the Foreign Service

Linda Thomas-Greenfield

US Ambassador, retired

Former U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations

Susan Thornton

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Thomas Tiernan

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Charles Uphaus

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Kurt van der Walde

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Alexander Vershbow

US Ambassador, retired

Former Deputy Secretary General of NATO

Former Assistant Secretary of Defense

Shari Villarosa

US Ambassador, retired

Patricia Wagner

Senior Commercial Service Officer, retired

Alexander Watson

Former Assistant Secretary of State

Linda Watt

US Ambassador, retired

John Wecker

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Bruce Wharton

US Ambassador, retired

Kevin Whitaker

US Ambassador, retired

Pamela White

US Ambassador, retired

Stephanie Williams

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Former Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General

Bisa William

US Ambassador, retired

Jonathan Winer

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

David Thomas Wolfson

Senior Foreign Service Officer, retired

Marcia Wong

Former Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID

Kenneth Yalowitz

US Ambassador, retired

Stephen Young

US Ambassador, retired

Marie Yovanovitch

US Ambassador, retired

Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Jane Zimmerman

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

Ricardo Zuniga

Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

(Photo: Ayingel)

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