Donald Trump does not have the "competence" to be commander in chief, writes Daniel Akerson. | AP Photo Former GM chief bucks Trump, endorses Clinton for 'leadership'

Another lifelong Republican is revved up for Hillary Clinton.

Former General Motors chairman and chief executive Daniel Akerson has instilled in his Catholic beliefs in his children, as well as in "God and country," and the Navy veteran has always voted for Republicans for president.


"Not this year," Akerson wrote in a Washington Post op-ed published Wednesday evening. "The compelling rationale behind this decision: leadership. A good leader must demonstrate such qualities as competence, integrity, empathy, character and temperament. Hillary Clinton has these essential qualities. Donald Trump does not."

Trump does not have the "competence" to be commander in chief, wrote Akerson, who led the auto company from 2010 to 2014 before serving as vice chairman and special adviser to the board of directors at the Carlyle Group from 2014 to 2016. Trump previously called out General Motors as a company moving its production to Mexico in June but later removed it from a statement.

"His knowledge of economic policy and foreign affairs is rudimentary, at best; his views are misguided," Akerson said. "His threat to impose prohibitive tariffs on trade would repeat mistakes that contributed to the Great Depression. His words and actions have rattled our European and Asian allies at a time when Russia and China are resurgent. He has demonstrated neither the capacity nor the inclination to learn from experts in global economics."

Akerson went on to criticize Trump for failing to do what he did as the leader of GM, namely spending "countless hours analyzing global trends, listening to experts, learning from others and making informed, reasoned decisions."

"While running a successful hotel business is honorable and hard work, there is no comparison to running a sophisticated global operation such as the U.S. government," he wrote. "Trump is simply not up to a job of this complexity."

Recalling the Navy saying he once learned and made his life motto—"Ship, shipmate, self"—Akerson explained that the "civilian equivalent" is “country, fellow citizen, self.”

"As individuals and as a nation, we must aspire to serve the greater good. We must exhibit the empathy that places the greater good of the nation and its people above individual self-interest," Akerson said. "Unfortunately, Trump has appealed to the lowest common denominators in our society: prejudice, xenophobia and intolerance. He has mocked people with disabilities, tarred ethnic minorities, demeaned women and insulted religious leaders, including the pope."

Akerson also took issue with Trump's "schoolyard name-calling" and distortions of the truth.

"I simply do not believe that Trump could stand tall like John F. Kennedy did during the Cuban Missile Crisis, demonstrate the strength of Ronald Reagan in bringing about the end of the Cold War or articulate the vision of George H.W. Bush to support a unified Germany when the wall came down," Akerson said, writing that on the other hand, "Clinton has been tested. She has demonstrated balance, calm and an even temperament."

Clinton, he said, "has an unparalleled knowledge of foreign and economic policy; she has run complex organizations such as the State Department."

While acknowledging that "[l]ike other leaders, including myself, she has made mistakes," Akerson said he believes she has learned from them and is "ready to be commander in chief on Day One."

"Many of my fellow chief executives will question my decision to speak out," he concluded. "My choice is grounded in the Midwest values that I learned from my parents and grandparents. I hope and believe that one day my grandchildren will be proud that I stood up to speak out about what is right for our country. Ultimately, our greatest duty to our country is to put our future, and our children’s future, above partisan politics."