WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate Floor about his recent visit to the Middle East, where he met with the Wyoming National Guard. He also highlighted the importance of restoring peace through strength.
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
“I traveled last week to be with more than 150 members of the Wyoming Army National Guard. They are stationed in Jordan and Syria. They are a long way from home – nine time zones away from Wyoming. They are keeping our country safe and free.
“One year ago, our adversaries were growing bolder, stronger, and more aggressive. Today, America is safer, stronger, and more secure. President Trump is restoring peace through strength. This is a dramatic change from the previous administration.
“Within days of taking office, President Trump began freeing American hostages. Marc Fogel, Keith Siegel, and almost a dozen former hostages who were held by our adversaries are now safe on American soil. President Trump is bringing American citizens home. He is also bringing America’s enemies to justice.
“Look at the recent precision strike in Yemen against Houthi terrorists. Remember who the Houthis are. These are Iran-funded terrorists. Their official slogan says ‘death to the United States’ and ‘death to Israel.’ They are a direct threat to American service members and American trade. Since October 7, 2023, the Houthis have attacked U.S. Navy ships 174 times. They’ve attacked U.S. commercial ships 145 times. Iran provides them with high-tech missiles and precision-guided drones.
“These attacks continued because Joe Biden was weak. He projected weakness. President Trump is strong. He projects strength. President Trump responded firmly, with overwhelming strength. I’m grateful to our service members who carried out the attacks.
“President Trump sent a clear message to terrorists: stop or get destroyed. He also sent a clear message to Iran: you will not escape accountability. This is a remarkable change from his predecessor. Joe Biden appeased Iran. His administration gave Iran $100 billion in sanction relief. President Trump is keeping up Maximum Pressure on Iran. The Houthi strikes prove it. President Trump knows that Iran is responsible for chaos in the Middle East. Since taking office, President Trump rightfully hit Iran with 94 new sanctions.
“President Trump also placed sanctions on Iran’s so-called Ghost Fleet. These are oil smugglers who move Iranian oil to China. These sanctions target Iran
and put Communist China on notice. Remember, 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports go to Communist China. As the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board recently wrote, ‘The Iranian oil-export problem is really a Chinese import problem.’ President Trump is responding firmly to this new Axis of Evil.
“Here in the West, President Trump is taking historic action to stop the killer cartels. He recently designated killer cartels as foreign terrorists. With this designation, he can now move aggressively to deport illegal immigrant criminals who are members of these deadly groups.
“The President of the United States is our Commander in Chief. President Trump takes that role seriously. He is reestablishing our military as the most lethal and intimidating force in the world. Under the Trump administration, recruitment has surged to its highest point in 15 years. This is important because history teaches us an important lesson. Weakness invites conflict. Strength deters war. When our military is prepared, America is strong.
“President Trump is also the best chance for peace between Russia and Ukraine. Both Russia and Ukraine must come to an agreement on a long-lasting cease fire. President Trump and his administration are pursuing an end to the killing and the bloodshed.
“In the Middle East, peace and prosperity are also necessary. That begins with American support for Israel. The Senate should confirm Governor Mike Huckabee to be America’s Ambassador to Israel.
“Overall, President Trump is off to a strong start. His swift actions are making America safer. Fully restoring peace through strength, however, requires bold congressional action. In the Senate, Republicans are preparing legislation to do just that.
“Republicans will rebuild our military, improve military readiness, expand shipbuilding, and invest in new technologies to keep America safe, including an Iron Dome for America. All of this makes our military more lethal. Americans strongly support these policies. They know that this is the path towards safety and security.
“Republicans will bring back peace through strength. We will get America back on track.”
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