Former Air Force secretary warns military complacency endangers democracy under Trump

Frank Kendall III, who served as Secretary of the Air Force, published an op-ed warning that top military officials are normalizing President Donald Trump’s aggressive policies, thereby jeopardizing democratic norms. He described a recent retirement ceremony presided over by Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine as eerily ordinary, suggesting a collective denial among senior officers. Kendall contends that leaders either ignore the president’s increasingly abnormal behavior or distance themselves by saying they are only following policy, which he labels a cop-out.

He references actions like the bombing of boats in the Caribbean and the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as instances that should alarm the armed forces. Kendall also notes that lower-ranking officers feel uneasy but fear retaliation if they speak out, fearing career repercussions from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He warns that senior commanders may soon face tougher choices as Trump hints at deploying troops domestically, and stresses that no legal or procedural shield can excuse them from their oath and conscience.