Defense and National Security

Keeping America safe is Congress’ most important duty.  Democrats are focused on strengthening U.S. national security and restoring America’s leadership in the world.  That includes deploying the full arsenal of US power – diplomatic, development, and military tools – to maintain America’s standing in a troubled world.  President Trump, on the other hand, continues to undermine national security and make America less safe.   With each tweet, Trump erodes US prestige.  He has presented no plan or strategy for the gravest threats facing our nation, including strategies to address the situations in Syria, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia, or Yemen.   He refused to affirm NATO’s Article 5 and the common defense of our allies or take a stand against Putin’s Russia, which has sowed doubt among US allies.  He seeks to cut the diplomatic and development tools that are necessary to maintain order.  Trump’s Muslim Ban erodes America’s safety by providing ISIS and other terror groups with a potent tool for recruitment and radicalization, and his ban on transgender troops serving in the Armed Forces harms our military’s readiness and undermines the values for which U.S. troops risk their lives.