Nebraska Panhandle News

Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts expressed his approval of President Donald Trump's foreign policy team during a conference call with Nebraska media. He criticized the previous administration's approach to foreign affairs, stating, "The Biden-Harris administration’s appeasement-first foreign policy made America weaker and less safe."

Ricketts emphasized the need for strong leadership and highlighted America's mandate to regain its strength on the global stage. "Americans gave President Trump and Senate Republicans a mandate to make America strong again," he said.

As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Ricketts looks forward to considering nominees such as Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State. He praised Rubio's understanding of international threats, particularly from China, saying Rubio knows that "a CCP-led world order would mean coercion instead of choice — tyranny instead of liberty — and dictatorship instead of democracy."

He also supported other nominations including Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former Governor Mike Huckabee as U.S. Ambassador to Israel. Ricketts described Stefanik as someone who has effectively fought against antisemitism and stated that Huckabee is a solid pick for supporting Israel in its defense efforts.

Matthew Whitaker was announced by Trump as Ambassador to NATO earlier today. Ricketts emphasized the importance of having a strong advocate in this role to ensure NATO allies meet their defense spending obligations.

Ricketts concluded by expressing his excitement about the future under Trump's national security team: "The time of appeasement is ending... The resurgence of American strength is about to begin."