Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell visited Hopkinsville on Thursday and shared his plans to focus on national defense and foreign policy during his final two years in office.
McConnell has represented Kentucky in the Senate since 1984, and earlier this year, he announced that he is not seeking reelection. On Thursday, McConnell met with local leaders and elected officials at the Christian County Chamber of Commerce to discuss national defense efforts and the role Fort Campbell plays.
Following the meeting, McConnell shared that the country is facing the biggest international threat it has since World War II, and now is the time to ensure that the country not only looks strong, but is prepared to respond if any conflicts were to occur.
To reflect the current international tensions, McConnell believes the country’s national defense budget needs to be increased, and says Fort Campbell will have a key part in strengthening national security.
The nature of warfare has shifted dramatically from soldiers with boots on the ground to drones and other unmanned systems, so McConnell says he would like the U.S. government to invest more in defense technology. McConnell serves as the chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and shared that the military’s annual budget was near $1 trillion, which he says is still insufficient.
When it comes to current wars such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israeli invasion of Palestine, McConnell says the countries involved in the conflict are the only parties that should be setting the terms for any agreements to end those wars.
However, McConnell does not believe the country’s leaders should take an isolationist approach to these international conflicts. McConnell says isolationism will not make any of the country’s adversaries hate the U.S. any less.
Turning toward the ongoing tariff war, McConnell says due to prior legislation passed, President Donald Trump has almost total authority over tariffs. McConnell says he doesn’t agree with Trump’s tariffs because, at the end of the day, they will make goods more expensive for consumers.
McConnell’s term concludes in 2027, and he says he does not plan on endorsing any of the candidates running for his position.