Debate: Trump, DeSantis, and 2024 GOP hopefuls’ views on military and Ukraine.
The First Republican Presidential Debate: Up For Debate
The first Republican presidential debate is fast approaching on August 23rd, where candidates will hope to close the gap on former president Donald Trump and separate from the rest of the pack. In this series, Up For Debate, the Washington Examiner will look at a key issue or policy every day up until debate day, and where key candidates stand. Today’s story will examine U.S. support of Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Denouncing Military’s Emphasis on Diversity and Inclusion
By and large, the Republican Party has denounced the military’s emphasis on diversity and inclusion within its ranks under the Biden administration. GOP critics argue that focusing on the individual identities of those within the service both limits or reduces military readiness while also contributing to the recruiting struggles facing nearly every service branch. Current DOD leaders have stood by the policies, arguing instead that diversity of viewpoint helps create a more inclusive environment while citing a number of contributing factors to the recruiting situation, including less familiarity with the military among recruiting-aged individuals, a smaller percentage of them who are eligible to service due to health and drug requirements, as well as a tough labor market.
Denouncing Pentagon’s Decisions
GOP leaders have also denounced the Pentagon’s decisions, under the Biden administration, to focus on climate change, allow transgender individuals to join the military, as well as the department’s policy on reimbursing the travel expenses associated with traveling out-of-state for an abortion due to local laws enacted after the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe V. Wade.
Where Trump, DeSantis, and Rest of Republican 2024 Field Stand on Key Issues
One of the biggest ways the GOP field has differentiated themselves from one another is via their stance on continuing United States aid to Ukraine. Some argue they would stop aiding Ukraine — the Biden administration has provided Ukraine with more than $113 billion, including more than $40 billion in military equipment since Russia invaded in February 2021 — while others have blamed Biden for not doing enough to support their freedom.
Cut or Reduce Support for Ukraine:
Donald Trump
“I know [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky very well, and I know [Russian President Vladimir] Putin very well, even better. And I had a good relationship, very good with both of them. I would tell Zelensky, no more. You got to make a deal. I would tell Putin, if you don’t make a deal, we’re going to give him a lot. We’re going to [give Ukraine] more than they ever got if we have to. I will have the deal done in one day. One day,” Trump responded.
Ron DeSantis
“While the U.S. has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party — becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them,” DeSantis told Tucker Carlson.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Ramaswamy’s campaign told the Washington Examiner that he does not believe “winning” in Ukraine is a “vital U.S. interest” and said he’d “end the war by ceasing further U.S. support for Ukraine and negotiating a peace treaty with Russia that achieves a vital U.S. security objective: ceasing Russia’s growing military alliance with China.”
Continue Support:
Tim Scott
Scott told NBC that “degrading the Russian military” is a “vital interest” of the U.S., which is why he supports arming Ukraine.
Nikki Haley
The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations believes it is of vital U.S. interest to support Ukraine, unlike many of her opponents, and that President Biden has been “far too slow and weak in helping Ukraine,” she said during a speech at American Enterprise Institute.
Others
Both former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Gov. Doug Burgum support aiding Ukraine, and while Pence and Christie traveled to the war-torn country in recent months, including meeting with Zelensky.
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