For more than four decades, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell has carved out the Commonwealth’s seat on the national stage — elected through a pair of generations to repeatedly carry the state’s needs back and forth from “The Hill” in Washington, D.C.
Those efforts continued Thursday, when the Republican giant and self-proclaimed Reaganite visited with leadership in Murray and Calloway County, before making a late-afternoon stop with Fort Campbell, Oak Grove and Hopkinsville delegates at the Christian County Chamber of Commerce.
In a 25-minute sit-down with local media, McConnell confirmed he will spend his remaining months in office focused supremely on national defense, foreign policy and a renewed call for globalism — rather than what he sees as a shrewd view of isolationism.
McConnell called the growing coalition of North Korea, China, Russia, Iran and Iran’s proxies “the biggest threat since World War II,” and that the country “needs to be ready.”
President Ronald Reagan, he reflected, coined the term “peace through strength.” From 1941-45, more than 35% of America’s Gross Domestic Product was spent on defense. In Korea: 13%. In Vietnam: 9%. The Reagan “build up,” he said, was 6%.
In this vein, McConnell called President Donald Trump’s planned Friday talks with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin surrounding the continued invasion of Ukraine vital for affirmation and national success.
McConnell noted that under President Joe Biden, defense spending did not increase above inflation, and things “aren’t doing so well this year” in that avenue, either.
McConnell also noted that “America First” is a “fine” mantra to hold as a U.S. citizen, provided that it doesn’t mean “America all by itself,” and he is hoping Trump “doesn’t take advice from so many of his staff, and others” on related matters — though he did praise Trump’s recent efforts in deterring Iran.
Furthermore, he urged that a senseless “tariff war” is “finally something he and Senator Rand Paul” agree about, because the added costs “go back to the consumer,” and further shunt allies away from free trade.
Previous legislation, however, gives the President “total authority” in most tariff matters.
Following an independent study of trade dependency versus gross domestic product of all 50 U.S. states, McConnell said Kentucky ranks No. 1 in the country in exports and No. 3 in imports.
Chamber President Taylor Hayes and Military Affairs Committee Director Shannon Lane lauded McConnell for his support of Fort Campbell and south western Kentucky.
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