New York Times columnist Tom Friedman excoriated Congressional Republicans and other conservatives who have attacked career diplomats and government officials raising red flags about the alleged misconduct of President Donald Trump: “This is so dangerous. This is so despicable.”

Speaking with Anderson Cooper on CNN, the centrist Times columnist noted that the career officials serving in the military, intelligence, and diplomatic corps — who were instrumental in pulling off the successful al-Baghdadi raid — are now coming under fire for daring to speak out against Trump.

“Same agencies, same people, same work ethic, same oath to protect and preserve the Constitution,” Friedman noted. “You can’t say in one place they’re traitors and ignoramuses,  and in the other place, they’re the wonderful heroes. They’re the same people.”

“[Lt. Col.] Alexander Vindman, who served two decades in the military, has shrapnel in his body while serving in Iraq, he’s being accused by President Trump as being disloyal to America because of his impeachment hearing inquiry,” Cooper said. Pro-Trump surrogates on Fox News and CNN have also joined in the chorus smearing Vindman, prompting Cooper to ask: “Does it go downhill from here? I’m not sure how much lower it can get.”

“I worry about the future of my country today more than any time in my life,” Friedman responded. “We’re seeing a group pf Republicans, who know very well, that what Trump engaged in on that phone call and well beyond it, was an impeachable offense. And instead of calling that out, getting to the bottom of it, and instead of attacking that, they’re attacking the process and the very system of our government. This is so dangerous. This is so despicable. These are people who every day run around boasting and bragging and praising all these American soldiers, who make the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom. And these people, these people wouldn’t make the tiniest sacrifice, not the tiniest sacrifice to just fulfill their Constitutional oath to see this impeachment process to its true and honest end. They are disgusting and they are hurting our country.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.