Jackson Purchase News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered remarks on the Senate floor today regarding NATO and American leadership.

“As NATO’s Washington Summit draws to a close today, there’s clearly tremendous resolve among many of our allies to make the trans-Atlantic alliance fit for purpose for another 75 years," McConnell stated. "But a strong and effective NATO has always required strong and effective American leadership. And here at home, there’s reason for cautious optimism that support for leadership on collective defense is widespread."

McConnell referenced a recent poll by the Reagan Institute on American views of global issues. “A majority of Americans support ‘a more engaged U.S. foreign policy’ and hold favorable views of the NATO alliance and support lethal assistance to Ukraine,” he said.

He highlighted that despite media focus on fringe political views, “a majority of Republicans believes that ‘U.S. involvement in international events’ benefits America.” Additionally, when asked if peace, prosperity, and security were products of American leadership and sacrifice, more Republicans than Democrats agreed.

McConnell emphasized voter behavior as evidence of this sentiment: “By massive, double-digit margins, Republican primary voters have picked candidates who supported the national security supplemental earlier this spring... Not a single Republican incumbent who voted to help America’s friends resist authoritarian aggression and rebuild the arsenal of democracy lost their primary.”

Speaker Johnson reportedly echoed similar sentiments from his interactions across 31 states: “We’re glad Congress delivered the supplemental.”

Addressing what he perceives as a gap between public opinion and current administration actions, McConnell remarked: “It can often seem like the loudest voices in Washington are the ones that bemoan the responsibilities of American leadership while enjoying the peace and prosperity it underwrites... The American people know instinctively that leadership on the world stage isn’t some hand-out to allies and partners – it’s an investment in our own security.”

Criticizing President Biden's approach to foreign policy, McConnell argued: “For years, the American people watched the Biden Administration dither... Since last fall, they’ve heard the President insist in one breath that America’s commitment to a close ally was ‘ironclad’ and then withhold urgent assistance in another.”

McConnell concluded by urging decisive action: “This week would’ve been a great opportunity for the Commander in Chief to start backing up his words with firm commitments... It could have been a great week to lead.”