They Served Him.
Then They Spoke Out.

Accused Trump of "abusing" his office, acting unconstitutionally, and deliberately dividing the country. Said Trump used "the presidency to destroy trust in our election and to poison our respect for fellow citizens." In a rare public statement, Mattis declared he had never witnessed the executive branch "actively working to divide us" the way Trump had — and called it a threat to the Constitution.

Called Trump "a threat to democracy" and said he was "not fit for office because he puts himself first." His memoir described Trump as "unprincipled" and detailed how Trump asked him to have the military shoot Black Lives Matter protesters in American streets. Trump stripped Esper's security detail and removed his portrait from the Pentagon.

At his retirement, Milley delivered remarks widely understood as a direct rebuke of Trump, saying "we don't take an oath to a wannabe dictator." He told journalist Bob Woodward he had come to believe Trump was "a total fascist" and was "deeply convinced" Trump remained a danger to the country after losing the 2020 election. In retaliation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth launched a Pentagon inspector general investigation into Milley and stripped his security detail — despite documented Iranian assassination threats against him.

Publicly called Trump a "fascist" who "admires autocrats and murderous dictators" and has "nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions." Detailed Trump's repeated admiration for Hitler, saying the president remarked on numerous occasions that Hitler "did some good things, too." Privately referred to Trump as "an idiot" to White House aides on multiple occasions, saying in one meeting: "He doesn't even understand what DACA is. He's an idiot. We've got to save him from himself."

Wrote a detailed memoir describing Oval Office meetings as "exercises in competitive sycophancy" in which advisers competed to flatter Trump. Quoted Trump making suggestions like "Why don't we just bomb the drugs?" regarding Mexico and "Why don't we take out the whole North Korean Army during one of their parades?"

Called Trump a "fucking moron" to colleagues after a Pentagon meeting in July 2017 — a remark he pointedly declined to deny when confronted by reporters. Said of working for Trump: "When I'd say, 'Mr. President, you can't do it that way — it violates the law,' he got really frustrated." Trump fired back publicly, calling Tillerson "dumb as a rock" and "lazy as hell."

Told PBS that Trump "failed. He didn't do what the country hoped" — that he would "rise to the occasion and rise to the office." Refused to use the Justice Department to support Trump's false election fraud narrative, which precipitated his departure.

"Donald's an idiot." Cohen later testified extensively against Trump in criminal proceedings and wrote a memoir detailing what he described as systematic fraud, deception, and recklessness.

Declared Trump "unfit to be president" and said flatly: "I think it is a danger for the United States if he gets a second term." His memoir, The Room Where It Happened, alleged Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win reelection, was comfortable with concentration camps, and floated jailing journalists. Trump's administration stripped Bolton of his security detail — despite active Iranian threats against his life.

Declined to endorse Trump's return to the presidency and stepped back from Trump's orbit. Trump revoked Pompeo's security detail despite documented Iranian assassination threats stemming from his role in ordering the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani — a move that drew bipartisan criticism.

Launched a direct primary challenge against Trump in 2024, saying America "cannot afford four more years of chaos" and calling him unfit and increasingly erratic. Said Trump was "not the same person" she served under. She eventually endorsed him before the general election, but her primary criticisms were pointed and sustained.

Said Trump "asked me to put him over the Constitution" on January 6th. Declined to endorse Trump's 2024 run, citing "profound differences." Confirmed that Trump was indifferent to the mob's chants of "Hang Mike Pence" during the Capitol attack — and that Pence and his family were forced to shelter in the building as the riot unfolded.

Said Trump has "no empathy, no morals, and no fidelity to the truth." Revealed Trump mocked his supporters as "basement dwellers" and that during a hospital COVID visit with dying ICU patients, "he was mad that the cameras were not watching him." Said Trump told her: "It doesn't matter what you say, Stephanie — say it enough and people will believe you." Explained why she never held a single press briefing in nine months: "Unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie." Called the administration "a clown car on fire running full speed into a warehouse full of fireworks." Spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention endorsing Kamala Harris.

Testified that on January 6th, Trump told aides of armed supporters: "I don't f---ing care that they have weapons. They're not here to hurt me. Take the f---ing mags away." White House counsel warned that following the mob to the Capitol would mean being "charged with every crime imaginable." Called Trump "the most grave threat to American democracy" and said his obstruction of the Constitution was "disqualifying." Said Trump is "completely devoid of any leadership quality" and accused him of waging "attacks on the American people." After testifying, Hutchinson received death threats serious enough that she went into semi-hiding for several months.

"We can stand by the policies, but at this point we cannot stand by the man." Testified before the January 6th Committee and later became a co-host of ABC's The View, where she regularly criticized Trump's conduct and fitness for office.

After January 6th: "The President undermined American democracy baselessly for months. As a result, he's culpable for this siege, and an utter disgrace."

Said Trump "would attack civil rights icons and professional athletes, who would go after grieving Black widows, who would say there were good people on both sides, who endorsed an accused child molester" — and that his conduct represented a fundamental betrayal of the people who supported him.