Donald Trump

Colin Powell Calls Trump a Liar, Says He Skirts the Constitution, Will Vote Biden

Several other former military leaders condemned the president during appearances on the Sunday shows

In this Dec. 4, 2018, file photo, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Secretary of State Colin Powell arrives to pay his respects at the casket of the late former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images

After a week in which President Donald Trump threatened to use military force against protesters, Colin Powell and other retired military leaders blasted the commander in chief for taking steps they say will harm the relationship between the military and U.S. citizens.

Powell, who served as secretary of state under former President George W. Bush and was previously chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told CNN's "State of the Union" that Trump is "drifting" away from the Constitution and said he's a habitual liar.

"We have a Constitution. We have to follow that Constitution. And the president's drifted away from it," Powell said, offering praise for military leaders who have spoken out against the president in recent days.

Powell, who did not vote for Trump in 2016, said he would vote for Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, this fall.

Trump responded to Powell on Twitter, calling him "a real stiff who was very responsible for getting us into the disastrous Middle East Wars" and that Powell "just announced he will be voting for another stiff, Sleepy Joe Biden."

Read the full story on NBCNews.com

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