WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee nomination hearing. Witnesses included The Honorable Christopher Landau to be Deputy Secretary of State, The Honorable Michael John Rigas to be Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, and The Honorable Matthew George Whitaker to be the United States’ ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Chairman Risch gave the following remarks:
“Today, we see a generational shift occurring in American domestic and foreign policy. For years, endless debate was a substitute for action, DEI replaced common sense, and where American strength and leadership had once been respected, we were seen as weak. Last November, Americans rejected the status quo and demanded change. President Trump is an exceptional and strong but different leader, and U.S. foreign policy will reflect a new era that places the U.S. front and center.
“We all know transitions are never easy, and the three witnesses before us will face challenges as the U.S. blazes a new trail. They have their work cut out for them.
“Today, America faces threats from every corner of the world. Hostile powers like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran have formed an authoritarian axis that seeks to weaken the United States. While these countries may not be each other’s traditional allies, their cooperation competes with American interests and values.
“The Chinese government steals American intellectual property, floods our streets with fentanyl, and exploits our free markets for its gain, while aggressively undermining American security. To counter this threat, we need to work with our allies in Asia like Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Korea, and Australia.
“We must push back on Chinese influence in Latin America and Africa. And the State Department should reenergize its economic mission, supporting U.S. investment in partner countries to counter predatory investment from China.
“In the Middle East, the fall of Assad and the tremendous success of Israel’s war against Hamas has turned the region on its head, and Iran’s proxy network is in tatters. We face a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to eject Iran’s destabilizing presence from Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. I hope the Administration will build momentum to weaken Iran before even thinking about negotiations with that regime.
“And of course, as negotiations with Russia are ongoing, securing a peaceful and permanent resolution to the war in Ukraine is critical.
“Our first nominee, Mr. Landau, has been appointed to be the Deputy Secretary. He served as ambassador to Mexico and managed one of the largest embassies. He had to tackle challenges from the illegal immigration crisis and drugs flowing into our country, to ensuring ag workers could still come to the United States during COVID. Mr. Landau, I look forward to hearing about your plans to protect America in this turbulent time.
“Our second witness, Mr. Rigas has been nominated to be the Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources. Mr. Rigas, you will be uniquely situated to guide the next generation of department personnel.
“The American people need a State Department staffed by our nation’s best, all working to advance American interests and out-compete our adversaries. You have a tremendous opportunity to return the Department to peak performance, and create a unified workforce that rewards merit and accomplishment, rather than DEI and divisive ideology.
“To effectively advance our national interests, I have said repeatedly that U.S. diplomats must get outside our embassies and engage with locals. In 2022, my Secure Embassy Construction Act became law, helping free our personnel to get out and do their jobs. Under the previous administration, the State Department did not fully implement this law. I hope under your leadership, this will be remedied.
“Finally, we have Mr. Whitaker who has been nominated to be ambassador to NATO. Today, NATO remains, more than ever, relevant to the security of the United States and Europe. Unfortunately, many NATO members have taken it for granted for far too long. Our European allies left the heavy lifting to us, and, by their own admission, did not pull their own weight in defense spending.
“In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine for the first time, but Europe did nothing. After the invasion of 2022, European leaders acknowledged the threat and pledged to do more, but not all NATO allies started to make the necessary investments. Today, Europe by itself still lacks the capacity to field the necessary military force.
“U.S. taxpayers cannot continue to foot Europe’s bill without dramatic investment from Europe. Europe now realizes that fact. Mr. Whitaker, as our next ambassador to NATO, you’ll be tasked with preserving the fidelity, commitment, and integrity of NATO and ensuring our allies rise to meet the challenges of an increasingly dangerous world. A tough job.
“At this year’s summit in June, all NATO allies must commit to significantly higher levels of defense spending in addition to increasing their production of defense materiel and recruiting. Most have embraced the necessity of that new reality given Russia’s aggression.
“Mr. Whitaker, I look forward to hearing from you and how you will work to ensure our allies shoulder their share of the burden and make NATO more effective.
“The days of endless discussion are over in U.S. foreign policy—this is where the rubber meets the road. Thank you to our witnesses for your willingness to serve in what will be some challenging times.”
These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Witness testimony is available on foreign.senate.gov.