Military Must Beware of 'Extreme Strain' from Political Divides, Warn 13 Former Defense Leaders

Eight former defense secretaries and five former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are warning of an "extreme strain" on the relationship between the military and civilians caused by political polarization and other societal pressures.

In an open letter published Tuesday in the national security blog War on the Rocks, the former Pentagon and military leaders argued it is important to review "best practices" for healthy civil-military relations in the face of what they described as an "exceptionally challenging civil-military environment."

The letter does not ascribe the challenges to any one politician or political party. But it notes that the 2020 election was the "first election in over a century when the peaceful transfer of political power was disrupted and in doubt" -- a situation caused by former President Donald Trump and his allies lying that the election had been stolen and his supporters' attack on the U.S. Capitol in an effort to overturn President Joe Biden's victory.