Senate Republicans Are Prioritizing President Trump’s National Security Nominees

“Gone are the days of a foreign policy exporting progressive ideologies, appeasing our adversaries, and demonstrating weakness on the world stage… We need a return to fundamentals.” – Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)

PRIORITIZING U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AND COUNTERING AMERICA’S ADVERSARIES AROUND THE WORLD

Newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make countering China the State Department’s top priority, declaring that “The 21st Century will be defined by what happens between the United States and China.” (PN11-13: Roll Call Vote #8 – 1/20/25; CBS News: Rubio tells Senate committee the "top priority" of State Department will be U.S. in confirmation hearing – 1/15/25)

Secretary of State Rubio also reaffirmed America’s commitment to the NATO alliance while echoing President Trump’s call for allies to contribute more to defense spending. (The Associated Press: Marco Rubio warns China is America’s ‘biggest threat,’ affirms value of NATO alliance – 1/15/25)

John Ratcliffe, President Trump’s nominee for CIA director, “offered his vision for a more aggressive spy agency,” adding that the U.S. faces “what may be the most challenging national security environment in our nation's history.” (The New York Times: John Ratcliffe Lays Out a Vision for a More Aggressive C.I.A. – 1/15/25; CBS News: CIA director pick John Ratcliffe vows new focus on intelligence gathering in confirmation hearing – 1/15/25)

Homeland Security secretary nominee Kristi Noem “pledged a complete turn” from the policies of the Biden administration with a focus on securing America’s homeland, calling it “a serious, sacred trust that must be relentlessly pursued and can never be taken for granted.” (The Associated Press: Key moments from Kristi Noem’s hearing for Homeland Security chief – 1/17/25; Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs: Opening Statement of Governor Kristi Noem for Nomination as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – 1/17/25)

REFOCUSING FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES ON THEIR CORE MISSIONS

“Shortly after taking the oath of office, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a cable to every U.S. diplomatic and consular post worldwide. The stark message from the new diplomat: Sweeping changes are coming to a department that had mistakenly emphasized ‘ideology over common sense’ and ‘misread the world.’” (RealClearPolitics: Exclusive: Rubio Outlines ‘Sweeping Change’ in Cable to U.S. Diplomats Worldwide – 1/21/25)

At his hearing, Ratcliffe said the CIA needed to guard against “complacency” within the organization, and pledged to combat any politicization of the agency and in particular DEI programs: “If you have a politically motivated, bureaucratically imposed social justice agenda that takes up part of your attention, that can distract from the core mission.” (NBC News: Trump's pick for CIA chief pledges not to let politics skew intelligence findings – 1/15/25; The Washington Post: John Ratcliffe, Trump’s CIA pick, pledges not to politicize spy agency – 1/15/25)

Pete Hegseth, nominee for secretary of defense, pledged “to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense,” adding that “[President Trump], like me, wants a Pentagon laser focused on warfighting, lethality, meritocracy, standards, and readiness. That’s it. That is my job.” (Senate Committee on Armed Services: Opening Statement, Secretary of Defense Nomination Hearing Senate Armed Services Committee – 1/14/25)

Noem, who would oversee the U.S. Secret Service in her role, pledged to reform the agency, saying, “We all saw the threats to President-elect Trump last year and the consequences of failure. Now, that should never happen again.” (The New York Times: Noem Backs Revival of Trump’s ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy – 1/17/25)

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION LEAVES BEHIND NUMEROUS NATIONAL SECURITY THREATS FOR THESE NOMINEES TO TACKLE

Illegal border crossings hit record levels under the Biden administration, averaging two million per year from 2021 to 2023 in the wake of the rolling back of many Trump–era restrictions. (The Washington Post: Trump vs. Biden on immigration: 12 charts comparing U.S. border security – 7/28/24)

“The Pentagon ended fiscal year 2023 on a sour note for military recruiting, falling tens of thousands of new enlisted troops short of its goal in what it called ‘the toughest recruitment year for the military services since the inception of the all-volunteer force.’” (Air Force Times: Air Force recruiting rebounds while Army, Navy still struggle – 2/16/24)

Under the Biden administration, intelligence agencies were caught flat-footed on the Afghan government’s collapse, Hamas’ October 7 attacks, the ability of Ukraine’s military to fend off Russia’s full-scale invasion, and the swift fall of the Assad regime in Syria. (The New York Times: Intelligence Agencies Did Not Predict Imminence of Afghan Collapse, Officials Say – 10/7/21; NBC News: Trump's pick for CIA chief pledges not to let politics skew intelligence findings – 1/15/25; Politico: Inside the US intel dilemma on Gaza a year after Oct. 7 – 10/6/24; The Associated Press: US misjudged Ukraine’s will to fight Russia, officials admit – 3/10/22)

Time and time again, whether in response to Iranian, Russian, or Chinese aggression, the Biden administration calibrated its response based on fear and appeasement:

The Biden administration responded to “more than 150 Iranian proxy attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East” after Hamas’ October 7 attack with limited responses, culminating in an air attack that killed three American soldiers and injured dozens more. (The Wall Street Journal: Editorial: Biden, Iran and Three Dead Americans – 1/28/24)

After Iran attacked Israel with drones and missiles, President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. would not support an Israeli military response and told him to “[t]ake the win.” (Axios: Scoop: Biden told Bibi U.S. won't support an Israeli counterattack on Iran – 4/14/24)

Despite empty warnings from the Biden administration, Russia launched the largest land invasion in Europe since World War II. (Politico: Putin was playing Biden all along – 2/24/22; The New York Times: Enduring Mayhem: Images From Year 3 of the War in Ukraine – 4/24/24)

“China’s hackers have run wild during the Biden administration,” and as the Biden administration left office, there were “indications that the government realizes it has not done enough to stop China-backed hackers.” (NBC News: China’s hackers have run wild during the Biden administration. Can Trump rein them in? – 1/18/25)

SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE COMMITTED TO CONFIRMING PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NATIONAL SECURITY NOMINEES

“Senator Rubio, this is a long laundry list of crises. You’ve earned yourself one of the hardest jobs in America, but after serving with you for so many years, I am confident you are the right person we need to take on these threats.” – Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho)
“Mr. Ratcliffe, you have a big job ahead of you. The nation needs a strong, capable, and aggressive CIA. I believe the men and women you will lead want to serve in just that kind of agency—they joined the CIA, after all, not a church choir or a therapy session on a college campus. They and the nation are counting on you to deliver badly needed reforms, and on this committee to ensure you do.” – Chairman Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
“Governor Noem, if confirmed, you will lead an agency that has lost its way. Your record as Governor of South Dakota and a former Member of Congress demonstrates your willingness to make difficult decisions, in the face of significant political pressure, and to put the interests of the American people first.” – Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
“We need rapid change at scale in our Department of Defense, and Pete Hegseth has the determination and the tools to achieve real change. He will inject a new warrior ethos into the Pentagon, a spirit that can cascade from the top down.” – Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)