Vote for your favorite Coward.

We are in a
Constitutional Crisis.

Trump is amassing power in the executive branch, ignoring Congress and the Courts. Meanwhile, leaders who have sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution are sitting on their hands, silent in the face of the country’s descent into fascism.

We’re highlighting our country’s greatest cowards, leaders past and present, who are silent despite the urging of their constituents and countrymen to speak up and do what’s right, all to avoid any accountability or career repercussions.

Meet the Cowards

  • Dick Cheney built his career on sending other people to fight and die in wars, while he refused to serve in them himself. During the Vietnam War, he stacked up student and “hardship” deferments until the draft passed him by, because he “had other priorities.” Yet as vice president, he pushed the country into a catastrophic war in Iraq based on the lie that Iraq had WMDs. He demanded sacrifice from young Americans while never having risked anything himself. His priority was always his self-interest, not security or stability. That hypocrisy is the hallmark of a political coward who hid from danger when it was his turn, only to gamble with the lives of others once he held power.

    With Cheney leading the charge, the White House’s response to the 9-11 attacks – fearmongering and warmongering while massively expanding military and intel budgets – contributed directly to the rise of fascism in this country.

  • Pete Hegseth’s record reveals his performative valor, through and through. He is the least experienced defense secretary in U.S. history, with no track record managing a large bureaucracy. 

    He has installed a makeup room to keep up his camera-ready antics and changed the Department of Defense to the Department of War to portray himself as a tough guy and distract from his poor leadership. After nine months at the helm of the Pentagon, his biggest accomplishment has been helping to deregulate the set of rules that governs how the military purchases from industry. A gift to war profiteers!

    He openly opposes women in combat, calling them “life-givers, not life-takers.” He shared sensitive information of a military operation in an unsecured chat with his wife, brother and lawyer. He’s had critical failures in operational, managerial, and budgetary oversight that undermine national security and troop welfare.

    Pete Hegseth is a performer, not a leader. His actions have furthered this country’s descent into fascism and made us an even bigger laughing stock to the rest of the world.

  • Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has long positioned himself as a staunch advocate for national defense. His definition of national defense leans more towards aggressive offense and increased national security risks. He has no problem sacrificing lives at home and abroad just to score political points, making him an exemplary candidate for America’s Greatest Coward. 

    Graham’s aggressive rhetoric frequently escalates tensions without offering constructive solutions. He consistently pushes for the most extreme military intervention, such as calling for boots on the ground in a full-scale invasion of Iran or urging Ukraine and Russia to fight until the last man. But the human and economic cost of all this? It falls on us, never on him. 

    Graham will always opt for the politically expedient path or an exciting soundbite to remain in the good graces of the Trump administration. His vitriolic language does nothing to hide his spinelessness.

  • Hillary Clinton has a long record of taking the coward’s way out. As a U.S. Senator and Secretary of State, she had the authority to stand up for Americans and global justice. She instead chose chasing political brownie points to cash in for her eventual run for president. 

    No matter the foreign policy – from arming Saudi Arabia to the teeth, to supporting the Iraq War before knowing the facts, to ferociously backing drone strikes, the Afghanistan War, and the broader war on terror – Clinton consistently selected the aggressive, hawkish route. She refused to embrace the fact that diplomacy is not just an option, but a necessity.

    Hillary Clinton’s legacy is defined by cowardice and political self-preservation. She mastered the art of looking strong while refusing to act in a manner that would have made this nation stronger and safer.

  • As National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan held immense influence over U.S. foreign policy.  One disaster after another followed in his wake. 

    The chaotic exit from Afghanistan. Slowwalking aid to Gaza while arming Israel to the teeth and pretending Israel wasn’t committing genocide. Providing cluster munitions and land mines to Ukraine despite the known long-term threat to civilians. The list goes on. 

    Sullivan’s legacy is one of calculated restraint: a career defined by appearing competent while exacerbating tensions with enemies and allies alike. His cowardice accelerated Washington D.C.’s descent from global leader to flailing bully.

Vote for your Favorite American Coward.

When the votes are tallied, the winner will be awarded the AMERICA’S FAVORITE COWARD award, which will be presented to them at the most inconvenient time possible.