Montel Williams

I became a Republican because I agreed with what President Ronald Reagan said in his 1984 convention speech. “In the party of Lincoln,” he said, “there is no room for intolerance … or bigotry of any kind. Many people are welcome in our house, but not the bigots.” I became an independent about 20 years ago because, in my view, the Republican Party had left me.

During this year’s primaries, I finally found a candidate who embraced this unifying message, one for whom I said I’d return to the GOP: Ohio Gov. John Kasich. After his withdrawal, my instinct was to keep silent on my vote. But over the past three weeks, it’s become clear to me that I have an obligation to speak out — because I believe that Donald Trump represents a clear and present danger to our country.

I’ve written before about Trump: his bigotry, the cancerous effect of his reality-show-inspired campaign, and his reviling dog whistles to white supremacists. These are obviously serious problems but they are not an existential threat. Our country has endured bigoted leaders and carnival barkers before (although I struggle to recall any so despicable as to attack a Gold Star family or seemingly suggest an opponent’s assassination).

But Trump is worse than a clown or a bigot. He’s an existential threat to our republic who cannot be trusted to be commander in chief.

After graduating from the Naval Academy, I spent more than 15 years as a special duty intelligence officer focused primarily on Russia.

Former acting CIA director Michael Morell argued in a New York Times op-ed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had exploited Trump’s narcissism to recruit him as an unwitting agent for the Russian Federation. That is consistent with my experience.

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Putin, a former KGB operative, has identified Trump and his campaign manager Paul Manafort (a Putin cheerleader who has worked with totalitarian regimes across the globe) as allies, and has manipulated Trump’s narcissism to advance Russia’s interest.

The tactic appears to be working. Trump, who often praises Putin, has downplayed the necessity of NATO and his campaign likely played a role in softening a GOP platform plank on arming Ukraine in its fight with Russia.

Now the Russian government is actively working against Hillary Clinton — who supports a strong NATO alliance against Russian neo-imperialism — by tampering with the election. There’s evidence of this in the hacking of the Democratic National Committee, which senior U.S. security officials attribute to Russian security agencies, and a subsequent document dump by Julian Assange of WikiLeaks, whom the Russian government has consistently applauded.

This Cold War-reminiscent chain of events is bone-chilling. But even more frightening to me are Trump’s flippant remarks about nuclear weapons.

Trump allegedly asked: Why doesn’t the United States does not use nuclear weapons offensively? The answer should be obvious. A) Because our conventional capabilities are almost always sufficient; and B) as any responsible leader will tell you, the use of nuclear weapons could set off a chain of events that kills tens of millions of people in under an hour.

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I spent a few days at the Republican convention (I was there to advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights), and it was a pitiful show. I saw misdirected anger, conspiracy theories, and a startling lack of diversity. I saw rampant bigotry against Muslim Americans. I thought to myself: “So much for the party of Lincoln.” The Republican Party has given up the right to that claim.

Watching the Democratic convention, in contrast, I saw a big tent, and diversity. I saw a vision for the future. I heard an actual plan for the defeat of the Islamic State and a strategy to keep America safe without compromising what makes America exceptional.

I don’t agree with Clinton on every issue. As someone who once held a high-level security clearance, I found her email arrangement irresponsible. And I would very much like to see her acknowledge the scandal at the Department of Veterans Affairs was real, not a right-wing flight of fancy like she once suggested. The problems with the VA system are very real, are ongoing today, and are in desperate need of repair. Clinton needs to recognize this and present a plan to ensure that our most sacred of national commitments — to our veterans — is honored.

This isn’t just about my disagreements with Trump. I agree with Clinton on a host of social issues, from a woman’s right to choose (which I see as a fundamental liberty issue) to our right to marry whom we love, to reasonable gun safety measures (which I support as a proud, responsible gun owner).

Furthermore, like many seriously ill Americans, I rely on medical marijuana to treat the symptoms of my multiple sclerosis and applaud Clinton’s proposal on marijuana, which would catalyze research and spur approval of new marijuana-based medicines while respecting the policies that voters in 25 states have approved.

I’m also guided by Hillary’s support for LGBT equality, including in all forms of public accommodation. As a black American who grew up under Jim Crow, I am dedicated to ensure that the law never again permits discrimination. This issue is a moral one and a red line for me. Even if I agreed with Trump on every other issue, I could never support his vice presidential choice — Mike Pence — who has championed deplorable discrimination against the LGBT community.

Trump’s strategy is to manipulate the anger and fears of the American people. He’s bet on the worst in us. But I have more faith in America. I believe we’re stronger when we work together, reach across the aisle, embrace diversity, and reject bigotry. On Inauguration Day, 2017, we’ll need move forward from this divisive campaign and come together as a nation. It’ll require a leader who is strong, smart, and capable, all things that describe Clinton but not Trump.

As much as I wish the system wasn’t stacked against the Libertarian ticket, it is, making it an unrealistic means of stopping Trump. That leaves Clinton. She was not my first choice, but she is the right choice on a host of issues. Given the threat to America posed by Trump, Clinton is the only choice, and I will vote accordingly.

Montel Williams, a 22-year veteran of the Marine Corps and Navy who served primarily as a special duty intelligence officer, went on to start the Emmy-award-winning Montel Williams Show that ran for 17 seasons. Follow him on Twitter@Montel_Williams

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