Press Releases

Larsen: Writing a National Security Strategy is Good; Acting Strategically is Better

Washington, DC, December 19, 2017

Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, responded to President Trump’s National Security Strategy, which was released today.

“There is a fundamental contradiction between the objectives of this National Security Strategy and the actions taken by this administration,” said Larsen, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. “Having a national security strategy is good; acting strategically is better.”

“This America First policy will end up putting Americans last,” he continued.

Critically, the National Security Strategy:

  • Correctly recognizes that adversaries seek to interfere in domestic politics.
    YET, the president has ignored the conclusions of the intelligence community that Russia’s influence campaign in 2016 was in support of his candidacy.
  • Specifically mentions the threat posed to Americans by pandemic outbreak of zoonotic viruses like SARS and Ebola.
    YET the president’s budget cut the CDC office tasked with countering these threats by 11 percent.
  • Cites the 2001 anthrax attacks as an example of the impact of biological attacks.
    YET the president’s budget proposed closing the leading laboratory in the country that does bioforensic analysis for law enforcement.
  • States that “diplomacy is indispensable” and “reduces the risk of costly miscalculation.”
    YET President Trump’s budget proposed a 28% cut to the State Department and USAID.
  • Pledges that the administration “will continue to champion American values and offer encouragement to those struggling for human dignity in their societies.”
    YET President Trump has offered praise for authoritarian crackdowns from Turkey to the Philippines.
  • Correctly identifies the importance of diplomacy and international partners to countering the threat posed by North Korea.
    YET President Trump failed to nominate an Ambassador to South Korea for eleven months, and has still failed to nominate an Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs.
  • Underscores that “the NATO alliance… is one of our great advantages over our competitors, and the United States remains committed to (collective defense).”
    YET, President Trump has repeatedly made statements which call into question America’s commitments to its European allies.
  • States that the administration will take action to “secure, eliminate, and prevent the spread of WMD.”
    YET the president proposed cutting $30 million from the Global Material Security Program in the NNSA budget.

“I agree with many of the objectives of this strategy. On other points, including the omission of climate change and the narrow view of immigration, I am strongly opposed. But absent a change to how President Trump governs, this National Security Strategy is just words on paper,” Larsen concluded.

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