Western South Dakota News

U.S. Senator John Thune addressed the Senate floor, criticizing President Biden's foreign policy and expressing optimism about the incoming Trump administration's approach to international affairs. Thune pointed out various global conflicts, attributing some of the unrest to a lack of decisive American leadership under Biden.

Thune highlighted several key issues: Russia's invasion of Ukraine, China's increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region, Iran's continued influence in the Middle East, and recent terrorist attacks on Israel. He stated that while not all these events can be blamed solely on Biden, his indecisive policies have contributed to global instability.

"The president often seems incapable of staking out a firm policy position," Thune remarked. He criticized Biden for mixed messages in handling Iran-backed terrorists and for his approach to supporting Ukraine with defense resources.

Thune also condemned the initial decision by the Biden administration to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian assets as part of a deal to free American prisoners—a move later reversed after an attack by Hamas. "Unfreezing them in the first place was a serious mistake," he said.

He expressed concern over decisions like restarting funding for UNRWA despite its alleged ties to militant groups, suggesting such actions convey weakness to adversaries. Thune warned that this perceived lack of resolve has emboldened terrorists throughout the Middle East.

Asserting that clear American leadership is necessary on the world stage, Thune emphasized that it does not mean intervening in every conflict but rather projecting strength and clarity. He praised President Trump's choice of Marco Rubio as secretary of state, citing Rubio as a strong voice on national security.

Thune concluded with hope for progress in freeing hostages captured by Hamas during their October 2023 attack and expressed confidence that America's adversaries will face renewed strength from U.S. leadership under Trump.