US Presidential Election 2016: Establishment Republicans turn on Donald Trump in effort to sway voters
Donald Trump has taken the US by storm. Rolling ahead of a once-crowded Republican pack, he is now almost certain to win the nomination.
But while he has the support of many voters, the Republican establishment doesn't want that.
House speaker Paul Ryan and South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham have already spoken out against him, and former Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is expected to make a challenge on Trump later today.
Read more: Trump’s meteoric rise should surprise no-one
The New York Times has reported some party donors already attempting to raise funds for an anti-Trump effort, and the Centre for Public Integrity reports that Republican Super PACs ran thousands of adverts to try and discredit Trump's campaign.
For these guys, they simply don't agree with Trump on many things. More than that, they really don't think he stands a chance in a run off with Hillary Clinton.
But in the lastest move, more than 50 conservative foreign police experts have come together in an open letter to condemn Trump as unfit for the office of President. Why?
His anti-Muslim rhetoric
The signatories say his hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric undercuts the seriousness of combating Islamic radicalism by alienating partners in the Islamic world.
It also endangers the safety and constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of American Muslims.
Trade wars
He advocates waging trade wars. They say that's a recipe for economic disaster in a globally connected world.
“You know, I don’t mind trade wars,” Trump has said. “We’re losing so much with Mexico and China, with China, we’re losing $500 billion a year.”
So, you know what he's doing about it? He's boycotting Oreos.
Torture
"His embrace of the expansive use of torture is inexcusable."
Back in February Trump lambasted rival Ted Cruz for saying he wouldn't bring back waterboarding in any widespread way. In fact, Trump would "bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding", he said.
His wall on the Mexican border
Those who signed the letter think controlling illegal immigration is important. But, insisting Mexico will fund a wall "inflames unhelpful passions". Plus it rests on a misreading and contempt for "our southern neighbour".
Trump has gone on about this one since he announced he was running for office, but just last week doubled down by telling the former Mexican president that "the wall just got 10 feet taller", after Vicente Fox said Mexico wouldn't be paying for the wall.
Allies should be paying America
Trump wants close allies to pay for protection. That's the sentiment of a racketeer – not the leader of alliances that have served the US well since World War 2.
He's also said South Korea should pay the United States "very substantially" for maintaining 28,000 troops there to help defend it from the North.
Putin lovin'
His admiration for Vladimir Putin is "unacceptable" for the leader of the "world's greatest democracy".
The front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination previously said he felt a "great honour" when Putin praised him as an "absolute leader".
Trust?
"He is fundamentally dishonest," they write. This includes attempts to deny positions he has taken in the past, including the 2003 Iraq war.
He may be a good businessman but…
His equation of business acumen with foreign policy experience is false. "Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might, and there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs."
All in all, as committed and loyal Republicans, they say they just can't support Trump.
Or as they put it: "We commit ourselves to working energetically to prevent the election of someone so utterly unfitted to the office."