Gaza Resignees: 12 Former Biden Officials Demand 2028 Democratic Candidates Reject War Policy
A joint statement signed by former administration members urges candidates to pledge against hiring officials who supported the conflict in Gaza.
By Eric Coleman ·
Former United States officials who served under President Joe Biden have issued a formal demand for the 2028 Democratic presidential candidates. The group, consisting of twelve former aides, wants candidates to explicitly reject the administration's support for Israel during the war in Gaza.
The officials published a joint statement titled “Gaza Resignees” on Wednesday. All twelve signatories left their positions between late 2023 and 2024. They cited the government's “illegal and unconditional support for Israel’s actions in Gaza” as the primary reason for their departures.
The war began in October 2023. Palestinian health authorities report that at least 74,564 people have been killed. At least 175,770 others have been injured. Several rights groups, experts, and United Nations inquiries have assessed that the conflict amounts to genocide.
The Biden administration, which governed from 2021 to 2024, faced criticism from progressive lawmakers and activist groups after the war started. The United States continues to support Israel under President Donald Trump, who was re-elected last year. Representatives such as Rashida Tlaib and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have opposed this ongoing support.
The statement argues that key figures from the Biden era are now “whitewashing their own roles in enabling genocide.” The authors claim these officials stayed silent when they should have defended US laws. They also accused the group of working toward “illegal and wrongful ends” in violation of US and international law.
The resignees call on 2028 candidates to commit to not hiring any administration official directly responsible for enabling Israel’s military actions in Gaza. They urge nominees to pledge three specific oaths. These include upholding the Constitution and pursuing the national interest. They also ask candidates to acknowledge US complicity in the genocide through arms, funding, and diplomatic backing.
The third oath requires nominees to build an administration that reflects US interests. It asks candidates to create “no space” for those who were an “architect, leader, defender, or key enabler” of policies supporting Israel. The statement notes that many of these officials are currently pursuing a path back into policymaking ahead of the next election.
Source: Al Jazeera
