Former senior Republican calls Trump a liar, throws his support behind Biden
almost 4 years in news
Republican Colin Powell, the former secretary of state under George W Bush, has called Donald Trump a liar and stated he will be voting for the Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden.
His comments follow President Trump threatening to use the military against Americans protesting racism and police brutality following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
"We have a Constitution. And we have to follow that Constitution. And the president has drifted away from it," he said.
His comments echoed criticisms of the president made by the former defence secretary James Mattis who this week delivered a scathing assessment of Mr Trump, accusing him of dividing the country and "abusing" his position of authority.
ANU Professor Mark Kenny said Mr Powell's main criticism of President Trump is "openly dividing America for his own partisan political gain."
"A number of very prominent people, part of the conservative establishment, generally hawks when it comes to those sort of question, but they are generally appalled by how this president conducts himself.
I think the concern for all of them ... there is no attempt, not even a pretence by the president, to unite the country at a time of crisis."
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