McConnell takes indirect swipe at Trump on America's role in the world [View all]

Source: Politico

12/07/2024 04:19 PM EST


SIMI VALLEY, California — Outgoing Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell took aim at the isolationist faction of the Republican Party — and an implicit swipe at President-elect Donald Trump’s policies — in a speech Saturday, arguing the U.S. must double down on its commitments to alliances and hard military power to maintain its credibility on the international stage.

Speaking at the annual Reagan National Defense Forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, after which he received a standing ovation, the Kentucky Republican invoked the hawkish legacy of the 40th president, arguing that “influential voices” are forgetting the lessons of the Cold War amid growing threats from China and Russia.

“Within the party Ronald Reagan once led so capably, it is increasingly fashionable to suggest that the sort of global leadership he modeled is no longer America’s place,” McConnell said. “But let’s be absolutely clear: America will not be made great again by those who are content to manage our decline,” McConnell said, paraphrasing Trump’s longtime campaign slogan.

Though McConnell stepped aside as GOP leader, he’ll continue to be a relevant player in Washington, maintaining a powerful perch as chair of the Senate Defense Appropriations panel, which helps dictate the Pentagon’s budget.



Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/07/mcconnell-trump-america-world-00193160