Nancy Mace is a ‘Danger to National Security,’ Retired General Warns

A retired lieutenant general has harshly criticized Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), calling her a “danger to national security” in a scathing editorial for The Island News. The article, penned by retired General Ben Hodges, takes aim at Mace’s unwavering loyalty to former President Donald Trump and accuses her of putting party allegiance above the country’s security interests.

Mace, known for her controversial antics, has garnered attention for behavior that has raised eyebrows both within and outside her party. Notably, she wore a Scarlet Letter shirt in a stunt aimed at addressing criticism for her vote to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker. She has also faced backlash for mispronouncing Vice President Kamala Harris’s name and dismissing complaints from Black Americans about the issue by claiming they don’t respect women. Additionally, former staffers have described Mace as unstable and overly obsessed with securing television airtime.

However, according to Hodges, Mace’s issues go far beyond bizarre behavior. He argues that she consistently prioritizes her loyalty to Trump over the security and values of the United States. In his editorial, Hodges reflects on Trump’s troubling history of disrespecting veterans and military leaders, and how Mace, despite representing a district with a strong military presence, continues to enable him.

“For years, Trump has insulted veterans, calling the fallen ‘suckers and losers,’ belittling John McCain for his capture during the Vietnam War, and arrogantly referring to military leaders as ‘my generals.’ His disregard for our Constitution was laid bare when he refused to honor the peaceful transfer of power after his presidency,” wrote Hodges. He also explained his personal decision to leave the Republican Party after the January 6 Capitol riots, despite growing up in a “Reagan-loving household.”

What makes Mace’s actions particularly troubling, Hodges argued, is her background as a graduate of The Citadel, a military college, and her role as a representative for a district with a deep history of military service. “As a Citadel graduate, Congresswoman Nancy Mace continues to enable these dangerous policies – and she should know better,” Hodges wrote. He emphasized Mace’s opposition to funding Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression as an example of how her “MAGA loyalty blinds her to the larger picture.”

Hodges highlighted the rich tradition of military service in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, from the 1st South Carolina Volunteers of African Descent to the many local veterans who have served with honor. He called Mace’s disregard for these principles “a gut punch to those who sacrificed everything.”

The editorial concluded with a call to voters across the political spectrum to reject Trump and Mace’s brand of politics. “To vote against Trump and Mace,” Hodges wrote, “doesn’t make you a Democrat; it just means you still care about our Constitution and all the values you fought for.”

Hodges’ stark critique reflects growing concern about the influence of Trump’s MAGA movement on the Republican Party and the extent to which some elected officials, like Mace, are willing to go in their support for the former president, even at the expense of national security and constitutional principles.