TV host Montel Williams said he is backing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Democratic super PAC to hit Trump in battleground states over coronavirus deaths Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE after supporting a Republican in the primaries.

Williams, who supported John Kasich before the Ohio governor dropped his presidential bid, said he felt he needed to speak out against Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE because the GOP nominee "represents a clear and present danger to our country."

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"Trump is worse than a clown or a bigot," Williams, a veteran of the Marine Corps and Navy, wrote in a piece published Wednesday in USA Today.

"He’s an existential threat to our republic who cannot be trusted to be commander in chief."

Williams, who for more than 15 years worked as a special-duty intelligence officer focused primarily on Russia, went on to address the GOP nominee's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He cited a recent statement by former acting CIA Director Michael Morell, who said that Putin recruited Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation.

"This is consistent with my experience," Williams wrote.

"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," he continued.

"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."

The Russian government is now working against the Democratic nominee, Williams wrote, citing the recent hacking of the Democratic National Committee.

Williams then called Trump's "flippant" comments about nuclear weapons "frightening."

"Trump allegedly asked: Why doesn’t the United States does not use nuclear weapons offensively? The answer should be obvious," he wrote. "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."

Williams slammed the anger and bigotry he saw at the Republican National Convention, which he contrasted with the diversity and vision he saw during the Democratic National Convention.

Although Williams admitted he doesn't agree with the former first lady on every issue, he said he does have the same opinions as her on a variety of social issues and on gun safety measures.

On Inauguration Day, Williams said, the country will need a leader who is "strong, smart and capable" — words he said that describe Clinton, but not Trump. Williams called for the country to work together and "embrace diversity and reject bigotry."

"As much as I wish the system wasn’t stacked against the Libertarian ticket, it is, making it an unrealistic means of stopping Trump," he wrote.

"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."