Thune on Fox News: Adversaries Prey on Biden-Harris Administration’s Weaknesses

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Martha MacCallum on Fox News to discuss China targeting American agriculture, the Biden-Harris administration's projected weakness on the world stage, and the need to support Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East.

On how agriculture is faring under the Biden-Harris administration:

"I think it's a big concern, Martha. And the reason farmers and ranchers are so supportive of President Trump and his policies is because under the Biden-Harris administration, what they've seen with inflation is a huge rise in input costs, declining commodity prices, and a record trade deficit.

"We never had trade deficits in agriculture. We always had trade surpluses. Last year is the first year ever we had a trade deficit. This year it's going to be over $30 billion and they're saying the year after that, [a] $42 billion trade deficit for agriculture in this country.

"And so when you look at the increase in fertilizer cost, increase in diesel costs and land and equipment, and then the fact that commodity prices are going down, and then you see, like you said, what's happening with Chinese interest in this country in farmland and attempts to acquire farmland close to military bases - these are just, these policies of this administration have been an absolute failure when it comes to farmers and ranchers.

"Agriculture needs a new direction for this country, and the policies that President Trump brings when it comes to energy, when it comes to taxes, when it comes to regulations, when it comes to trade, is going to make American farmers and ranchers competitive again, and that's why we've got to have a change in November."

On how foreign adversaries view the Biden-Harris administration:

"And I think that's the problem, Martha, is [foreign adversaries] don't respect and revere Joe Biden or Kamala Harris, and so they prey on that weakness, and they take advantage of that weakness. And that's why countries like China, with a president like President Trump, they were worried, they were fearful of what was going to happen next."

On the United States standing with Israel:

"I think that we have to be prepared to have Israel's back, you know, whatever that takes.

"And we all know who's behind this. It's Iran. It's Iran, it's Hezbollah, it's Hamas, it's the Houthis, it's all these Iranian militias that have been attacking American troops in places like Syria. This is Iran, and, at some point, we're going to have to confront that reality.

"Now, one of the things that, of course, this administration has done is they have, again, projected weakness - lifting sanctions, making dollars available for Iran to be able to fund these terrorist organizations that are harassing Israel on a daily basis, on their borders. We've got to make sure that Israel is safe and secure and stable. It will bring peace and security and stability to that region, and it's going to require, if necessary, America to have Israel's back. We've always said that, and when push comes to shove, we need to make sure that we're there to support them and to ensure that stability reigns in that region."

Permalink: https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2024/9/thune-on-fox-news-adversaries-prey-on-biden-harris-administration-s-weaknesses