U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, on the Senate floor, condemned President Joe Biden for his policies that weaken America’s military and distract from the military’s core mission of lethality.
Sullivan said Biden has continually proposed cuts to the defense budget, while American soldiers are being advised to use food stamps. Biden politicized America’s armed forces by ordering Marines to stand as props in a partisan speech in Philadelphia.
Sullivan also criticized Biden for breaking precedent and firing appointees to the nation’s military academy boards, and establishing an unnecessary committee in the Pentagon to search out extremism.
On the 5% cuts to the military, Sullivan said, “We’ve had a war in Ukraine. We’ve had the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and Secretary of Defense testify in front of the Armed Services Committee that we’re probably seeing the most dangerous time globally in any time in the last 40 years. So what about the Biden budget this year? Mr. President, he did it again. This is actually [the] EPA, a 25% increase. . . You get down to the Department of Defense with now the nine percent Bidenflation. We’re talking a five percent real cut to our military. So that is not prioritizing our military.”
On the Army advising soldiers to go on food stamps, Sullivan said, “Mr. President, you’re starting to see how this inflation and other things are really impacting our troops. The Army last week in an article suggested that the American military members who are having trouble meeting ends meet because of high levels of inflation should go on food stamps.
“Yeah you heard that correct: We’re gonna give the EPA a 25% raise. We’re gonna cut defense spending by a five percent real cut, and if you’re a soldier struggling because of high inflation to actually put food on the table, you can go get food stamps. That’s the perfect example of not prioritizing our military. . . But the President finds it absolutely essential to forgive $560 billion dollars in student loan debt just a couple of weeks ago? Who are the preponderance of Americans that will benefit from that lawless bailout? High-earning Americans, the elite White House staffers certainly. They’re going to get a half-a-trillion dollar bailout and our troops are being told to go on food stamps. This should shock every single American.”
Regarding using the military as stage props, Sullivan it was unwise for any president “to give the kind of partisan speech that President Biden gave on September 1 in Philadelphia, in which he vilified millions, tens of millions of his fellow Americans who don’t agree with his administration’s policies. Some of you may have seen that speech. The President told the country that many of his fellow Americans, all of whom are Republican, don’t ‘respect the Constitution’ ‘are destroying American democracy. . .
“He did all this, a clearly partisan speech, while being flanked by two active duty Marines as his political props.
“Look at that. In my view, a sickening abuse of authority from a commander in chief who’s never served in the military. I think he got five Vietnam deferments and knows nothing about the Marine Corps’ ethos of honor, courage, commitment. . .
“The presence of these Marines was meant to politicize the president’s speech and politically benefit from the honor and respect the few and the proud have earned in the hearts of Americans over decades, over millennium. This should disturb every single American, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican. This was just wrong.”
“When President Biden came into office, he looked at West Point, Annapolis, the Air Force Academy, and somebody said to him, you know what Mr. President, let’s fire all the Trump appointees, let’s fire them right now, all 18 of them, to clearly politicize the service academies of America. So that’s what they did. Something that had never been done before by any president in the history of the country and they did it regardless of the qualifications of the current members serving on these boards.
“Let me give you some examples: Retired Army Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster was fired off the West Point board. Ironically, the same day he was fired by President Biden’s White House, he was honored by the West Point Association of graduates as the distinguished graduate of the year of West Point. So one president fires him and West Point gives them a great honor. General Jack Keane, a former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army fired from the West Point Board. Retired Army Colonel Douglas MacGregor an Afghanistan war veteran, clinical psychologist Meaghan Mobbs, a Bronze Star recipient, businessman David Urban, and a retired Army Lieutenant General, Guy Swan.
“18 qualified people, all fired. The politicization of the service academies of America was undertaken by this administration. First president, first White House ever to do it – all fired by Joe Biden and not allowed to fill their terms.”
His speech in full:
Mr. President, there’s been much made in the Biden administration about the value of diversity, and I agree that having diversity in any organization, it’s positive. You get different viewpoints, but diversity encompasses much more than race or gender or religious orientation. Those are all important. Diversity actually means having people around you with varied experiences. And as I mentioned, in my mind that’s certainly important, but it’s particularly important in the Oval Office. It’s particularly important in the White House. It’s particularly important in the leadership of our federal government. Let’s take the example of military experience in this administration. You think that the Biden administration would think it’s important to have members in his cabinet or senior White House officials who have served in the military. After all, he’s the Commander-in-Chief, very important part of his responsibilities, but in fact, Mr. President, virtually no one in this administration, with the exception of Secretary Austin at the highest levels, cabinet officials, senior White House officials have any significant military experience at all. Why does this matter? The President doesn’t have it of course, the secretary of the V.A., chief of staff, national security adviser – just go down the list.
Nobody has any experience. In the federal government of the United States. Why does this matter? It matters, Mr. President because it’s obvious by the people this President surrounds himself, the people who are giving him advice on big decisions for America that this president doesn’t prioritize military, our national defense, and our troops and their families. And this manifests itself in many, many ways.
First, most importantly, it matters in how we fund our national defense. Now, I was on the floor last week, speaking about this very topic. This is President Biden’s first budget. If you can see this here, that he proposed, it has the increases to every federal agency. This is a multi-trillion dollar budget and it says this is what we’re prioritizing in the Biden administration. And you see heck, double-digit, that’s education, commerce, E.P.A over 20%, interior over 15%, on and on and on, all the green. Just a massive expansion of federal agencies, except two agencies: Department of Defense and Homeland Security. The two agencies that actually protect Americans.
If you look for this line of inflation, which when the Biden administration put out their budget last year was about 4.5%. These are actual inflation-adjusted real cuts by about two to three percent to our military. That was the Biden budget, not prioritizing our troops, our national security at all. My view is that’s the number one job of this government. Not the President’s view, not his team’s view.
Okay, so in the interim, that was last year’s budget. We’ve had a war in Ukraine. We’ve had the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and Secretary Defense testify in front of the Armed Services Committee that we’re probably seeing the most dangerous time globally in any time in the last 40 years.
So what about the Biden budget this year? Mr. President, he did it again. This is actually EPA, a 25% increase, wow okay, but here we go, all the big double-digit increases. You get down to the Department of Defense with now the nine percent Bidenflation. We’re talking a five percent real cut to our military. So that is not prioritizing our military.
And Mr. President, you’re starting to see how this inflation and other things are really impacting our troops. The Army last week in an article suggested that the American military members who are having trouble meeting ends meet because of high levels of inflation should go on food stamps.
Yeah you heard that correct: We’re gonna give the EPA a 25% raise. We’re gonna cut defense spending by a five percent real cut, and if you’re a soldier struggling because of high inflation to actually put food on the table, you can go get food stamps. That’s the perfect example of not prioritizing our military and I want to unpack this further, Mr. President.
The Army is saying that our troops don’t have enough food to eat – they should look at going on food stamps. But the President finds it absolutely essential to forgive $560 billion dollars in student loan debt just a couple of weeks ago.
Who are the preponderance of Americans that will benefit from that lawless bailout? High-earning Americans, the elite White House staffers certainly. They’re going to get a half a trillion dollar bailout and our troops are being told to go on food stamps. This should shock every single American.
So we know the President and his team don’t prioritize the military. Look at these budgets for our troops or our national security, but that doesn’t mean they don’t find the military useful.
Now. Mr. President, I’m gonna put up a picture of a recent speech that I will tell you, every time I look at it, my blood boils and so should every American’s blood boil.
It’s this picture. Now, Mr. President, every president gives partisan speeches. Now, I don’t think it’s wise for every president to give the kind of partisan speech that President Biden gave on September 1 in Philadelphia, in which he vilified millions, tens of millions of his fellow Americans who don’t agree with his administration’s policies. Some of you may have seen that speech. The President told the country that many of his fellow Americans, all of whom are Republican, don’t “respect the Constitution” “are destroying American democracy.”
He gave this speech against a blood-red backdrop fists clenched. Look at him, yelling that millions of his fellow Americans embrace anger while he embraced anger in his speech and chaos. This President who continually issues lawless executive orders like shutting down ANWR in my state, his half a trillion dollar student loan bailout, then says that Republicans are quote against the rule of law. He went on and on, the insults, very partisan, somewhat deranged, attacking tens of millions of his fellow Americans.
Now look, Presidents do that. I don’t think it’s a good idea. But here’s the thing about this speech, Mr. President. To make matters worse. Look at this. He did all this, a clearly partisan speech, while being flanked by two active duty Marines as his political props.
Look at that. In my view, a sickening abuse of authority from a commander in chief who’s never served in the military. I think he got five Vietnam deferments and knows nothing about the Marine Corps’ ethos of honor, courage, commitment.
Remember, when General Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and was Chairman under President Trump as well, released a video where he apologized for standing beside the President, then President Trump, when that could have been perceived as political. This is what General Milley said: “I should have not been there. My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military being involved in domestic politics.”
I thought that was a good speech by General Milley. He made a mistake. He apologized and that was the right thing to do. Mr. President. This is much worse. This is much worse, these Marines, unlike General Milley, they’re being ordered to stand next to the President of the United States while he rants against millions of his own fellow Americans and the President certainly didn’t apologize for this speech.
In fact, when criticized by both Democrats and Republicans for the politicization of the military with these Marines propped up next to him, the Biden administration actually doubled down in terms of their use of these two active duty Marines as political props in a very partisan speech. Here’s what the spokesperson at the White House said, “the presence of the Marines at that speech was intended to demonstrate the deep abiding respect the President has for these service members to the ideals in the unique role of our independent military plays in defending our democracy no matter who is in power.”
This is Orwellian doublespeak. What a bunch of nonsense. Here’s the fact, Mr. President. The presence of these Marines was meant to politicize the President’s speech and politically benefit from the honor and respect the few and the proud have earned in the hearts of Americans over decades, over millennium. This should disturb every single American, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican. This was just wrong.
Let me provide another example of the politicization of our military by the Biden administration. Now, this is something hasn’t gotten a lot of attention, some people like hey, it wasn’t really a big deal. I actually think it was a big deal.
We have some of the best service academies in the world. They are the best in the world, the U.S. Naval Academy, West Point, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy. Each of our military services’ academies has board members, some of whom are appointed by the President of the United States for three-year terms. Now I am honored to serve on the U. S. Naval Academy Board. I was appointed as a member of the Armed Services Committee.
Here’s the tradition in our country that every single president has abided by when they come into office: They let the board members finish out their terms. So for example, when President Trump was elected, the Obama administration officials who are President Obama’s appointees, finished out their terms on the Naval Academy board, The West Point Board, the Air Force Academy Board. That’s what we do. The point is not to politicize the service academies. That has always been the tradition. Every single president except for Joe Biden.
When President Biden came into office, he looked at West Point, Annapolis, the Air Force Academy, and somebody said to him, you know what Mr. President, let’s fire all the Trump appointees, let’s fire them right now, all 18 of them, to clearly politicize the service academies of America. So that’s what they did. Something that had never been done before by any president in the history of the country and they did it regardless of the qualifications of the current members serving on these boards.
Let me give you some examples. Retired Army Lieutenant General H. R. McMaster was fired off the West Point board ironically the same day he was fired by President Biden’s White House, he was honored by the West Point Association of graduates as the distinguished graduate of the year of West Point. So one president fires him and West Point gives them a great honor. General Jack Keane, a former Vice Chief of staff of the Army fired from the West Point Board. Retired Army Colonel Douglas MacGregor an Afghanistan war veteran, clinical psychologist Meaghan Mobbs, a Bronze Star recipient, and businessman David Urban, a retired Army Lieutenant General, Guy Swan.
18 qualified people, all fired. The politicization of the service academies of America was undertaken by this administration. First president, first White House ever to do it – all fired by Joe Biden and not allowed to fill their terms.
And of course, Mr. President, the Biden administration loves to use our military to push other agendas that have nothing to do with lethality in winning our nation’s wars. Many, many examples. Let me give you just a couple from the beginning, issuing executive orders, not focused on how we have a stronger military but using taxpayer dollars to establish a committee within the Pentagon to do what ended up being witch hunts on so-called extremists in the military, of which, when they came back with their report, they said they had actions of .005%.
They also issued executive orders to use taxpayer dollars to mandate transgender transition surgeries for active duty soldiers. Importantly, they become non deployable when that happens.
So, Mr. President, back to my original point. No one in senior positions in the White House or the cabinet with the exception of Secretary Austin has significant military experience. And on so many of these issues there’s no adult in the room.
Think about these White House conversations where they’re talking about, hey, let’s cut the Defense budget and will grow the E.P.A. by 25%. That’s a great idea, Mr. President. Let’s make sure we give a partisan speech at Independence Hall and oh yeah, let’s grab a couple of active duty Marines and stand right next to the President as his props. That’s a great idea, Mr. President. Let’s come in and politicize the service academies and fire all the Trump administration appointees, even American heroes like H. R. McMaster, General Keane, despite the fact that no president had ever done that before. Great idea, Mr. President.
This is really problematic what we’re seeing right now in that lack of prioritization extends here in the U.S. Senate. Unfortunately, as it relates to our military, as we know with regard to Defense budget cuts.
In the 2020 NDAA, we had a debate right here on the Senate floor, where my colleague, the junior senator from Vermont proposed an amendment to dramatically cut our military – almost by 15% across the board cuts. He even actually wrote an op-ed in Politico, remember this is when the Democrats were pushing defund the police.
Here’s the op-ed. It actually is called “Defund the Pentagon: the Liberal Case.” I’d like to submit this for the record. The junior Senator from Vermont wrote that. The Majority Leader put out a tweet saying he was a proud supporter of the defund the Pentagon amendment. That’s right here on the Senate floor.
And of course, Mr. President, there’s the National Defense Authorization Act, The number one bill that focuses on national defense for our nation, that passed out of committee, the Armed Services Committee in June, in a very strong bipartisan vote, 23-3, passed the House in July, will have pay raises for our troops so the Army doesn’t have to tell them to go line up for food stamps because they’re hungry and we need to bring it to the floor right here.
So what are we doing? As far as I can tell, the Majority Leader doesn’t want to bring up the Defense Authorization Act until December. That’s why I joined a letter led by Senator Tuberville who I serve on the Armed Services Committee with, signed by twenty of my colleagues to say to the majority leader, Mr. Majority Leader, we have a dangerous world right now. Bring the NDAA to the floor. It’s gonna pass. It’s got great support. By the way, Mr. President. I know that Democrat senators feel this way too on this topic.
So we need to get this body back to what’s important for our country, bolstering our economy, fighting inflation, bringing down energy costs, unleashing American energy, and definitely passing the legislation that funds our military that provides pay raises for our troops during this very dangerous time.
So I ask the Majority Leader to bring the NDAA to the floor. We need it, and I call on the President and his administration, the President of the United States, the Commander-in-Chief, to truly prioritize our military and their families. And that begins with putting an end to using them in a disgraceful way as political props for your partisan agenda. I yield the floor.
Can I get a Hrumph out of this guy at least?
I bet this has biden shaking in his depends.
From the (once) White House:
Crickets.
Thanks Dan but it’s a little too late, where were you about 18 months ago? This country is being systematically dismantled and you’ve done nothing, you’re very quiet. But, you’re not the only one.
That’s because the “experiment” is over. Get ready for it.
Thanks Jim for stating the truth about Sullivan’s lack of conviction to the complete loss of control of our government with no accountability for the crimes they are committing against the American people. Sullivan in my opinion is being blackmailed like allot of them that get cornered in compromising positions and do exactly what they are told to do by the Deep State goons. Here are a couple stories done by real journalists, not the fake news. Try not to gasp!
‘https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/09/hohmann-mockingbird-media-dishes-load-half-truth-50-years-late/
‘https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/09/bidens-fbi-sends-25-30-agents-home-pro-life-author-father-7-arrest-reportedly-protecting-son-abortion-escort/
Welcome to what our forefathers warned us about. Tyranny in America is alive and kicking. If this kind of news doesn’t motivate every American to be involved in their government to stop this kind of abuse, I’m done getting on my soapbox about bought and paid for politicians like Murkowski, Sullivan, McConnell, Graham, Pelosi, Schumer, Cornyn and the list goes on and on. They have been selling out this nation for years folks. Question is, what are you going to do about it? We can start by ousting Murkowski and Peltola on Nov. 8th! We need to overcome their voter fraud system here by overwhelming it on election day! If you are not registered to vote and do not intend to vote, you are part of the problem.
Go Kelly!
So what are you going to do about it cry. You politicians have created a big mess and some day the people will have to clean it up and take out the trash (politicians).
This is so overdue as to be cringeworthy.
Dan Sullivan, who is Dan Sullivan??
Where has this dope been??
This country has been beat down while too many onlookers sat by!!
Dan where the hell were you???!
Your fired
So Dan, why did you vote to confirm Deb Haaland? Idiot move.
Wake up, Swampy Dan. Your BFF,Lisa helped him!!!
Little Dan grows a pair for a few meaningless moments. Too bad he was all RINO when it came to approving a stolen election.
When Danny talks, the wind blows, but the leaves don’t move. That boy is all hat, no cattle.
All this strongly worded letter stuff has been proven worthless outside the context of being on record. If you want to be known for something you’ll need to do something more than sit out back and complain. Stand out from the great unwashed hoard, Dan. You can do it.
? Bark, I agree with you, however credit Dan Sullivan with at least taking exception to Biden”s plagiarism of Leni Riefenstahl’s set design as he spewed forth his hatred for some 74 million Republicans, Enlightened Democrats and Independents.
As for the second part, the doing something about it bit, that responsibility falls upon the shoulders of the people.
Our founders recognized that all power is vested in the people and not blathering U.S. Senators. To this end we have freedom of speech and the right to vote the bastards out of office along with the right to be armed in order to defend our liberties.
What are we doing about it?
Anyone who attended the Alaska Medical Freedom Health Consortium heard what they did to our pilots and army.
Thank You. Next time louder & sooner. DUMP LISA!
Mr Trump gave speeches and briefings numerous times with armed Marines in the background while he was President, not a word at the time from Senator hypocrite Sullivan.
Because Trump honored and supported the military unlike the current resident who doesn’t care a bit except to continue Obama’s experimentation with the military.
As long a Lt Dan continues to support the witch Murkowski, he is completely complicit in every sin Biden commits.
He’s a seat warmer. Nothing more.
I’m sorry but everything he said was correct. Like him or not, the things he states are fact.
My question is, honestly, what the hell can anyone do at this point? Other than demand impeachment?
Bidens a China puppet that can’t find his way off stage, yet we allow him to stay even tho we all know he is sinking America. Why are we not asking for that?
At some point we all have to take a stand.
Dan may not be the best choice but he is ALL WE HAVE right now. Unless you agree with the Leftists, stand behind our senator. It’s like a bunch of frigging wolverines from some of the comments.
Sure don’t say what THEY would do better do they? Nope, just a bunch of whining.
Too little too late for your sabre rattling Senator. You were AWOL during the 2016 elections and too afraid to take a stand and support a pro-life Trump candidacy for POTUS. Where were you when the border funding battle was going on? You didn’t support the President then did you? Nope. AWOL. You‘ve showed your true self-preservation colors repeatedly. Not impressed with you at all.
I agree with Senator Sullivan speech and thank him for these stated views.
Biden probably gave them a box of crayons for their snack break
Dan, you left so much out of that message I don’t know where to start. What about the national oil reserves he is selling to China, our mortal enemy as he makes millions in payouts from the CCP? How about his appointees that are specifically targeting Conservative members of our military to weed out because they will not take an experimental vaccine or turn their back on the Constitution? What about the gobs of useless woke training that is brainwashing the troops, while destroying their military readiness. How about the plethora of munitions that Trump replenished that Xiden is sending to Ukraine, once again emptying the shelves of what we have to defend ourselves with? The obvious comment you refuse to make Dan is he is purposely weakening this country both economically and militarily. Yet for some reason you and your cohorts in the Senate are not calling for his impeachment. Only MTG has the guts to write up articles of impeachment. Where do your loyalties lie, Senator? Why do you hold back what needs to be done? Why do you know, late in the game, point out the obvious? What about the lawless invasion he is allowing on our southern border? You are right about one thing. Every single American should be angry because this administration with the help of wolves in sheep’s clothing are systematically plotting and carrying out the destruction of the USA! The majority of the American people are now awake to this an taking action to correct in on Nov. 8th.
Mike the politicians and the elite have sold us out. The irony is in the end they will all loose everything they fought so hard to steal.
Since Dan brought up Biden’s abuse of his authority, I thought I would throw in newly released information on what his open border policy is designed to do and it originates from the UN. Here is a recent report from Lara Logan, who is an excellent investigative journalist. Make sure Dan is aware of this since he seldom seems to acknowledge the border. Excerpt of her warning below.
“Lara Logan warns that what we are seeing at the border is a sinister globalist plan to create a regional government consisting of the U.S., Canada & Mexico, per a source who was behind closed door meetings at the UN.
“What they’re edging towards…(is) infiltrating 100 million people into the United States as the basis for forming a regional government instead of a national government. So, a government of Canada, Mexico and the US.”
Understand why they were so against President Trump’s wall?
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