Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said on Newsmax Friday that the United States should project strength abroad and stop "apologizing for our power and our greatness."
He defended President Donald Trump's agenda following Friday's Supreme Court ruling against the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act for tariffs.
During the interview on "Ed Henry: The Big Take," the Committee on Appropriations member framed the debate over tariffs and foreign policy as a test of whether the United States will keep using its leverage as a global power or retreat, saying that if the country "takes a back seat," it risks losing influence.
Mullin said the court found that "you used the wrong law," then described Trump's response as, "Oh, fine, then it's a national security" issue.
The Supreme Court held Friday in Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize tariffs.
Mullin argued the tariff debate is inseparable from a broader claim about trade and manufacturing.
"It is a national security, because we have subsidized these Third World countries and their middle class."
He added, "While our middle class has suffered, we have built China's economy by draining our treasury and sending trillions of dollars over there because they have taken our manufacturing jobs."
Then they "sent the products back to us, and we purchased them," Mullin said, adding that "then the dollars go back out" overseas.
"The president's the first one to actually get this right, and the America First agenda addresses all of this," he said.
"When you start talking about the foreign policy that President Trump is pushing out there, if the United States takes a back seat, we start apologizing for our power and our greatness to some degree," Mullin said.
"Then what type of foreign policy do we have?" he continued.
"That's what you had underneath the Biden administration."
Mullin said Trump "believes in [former President Ronald] Reagan's peace through strength."
"And he's used that to strengthen our economy and bring manufacturing back," he said.
Mullin summarized what he called the mechanics of Trump's approach in three parts: "one, winning elections, two, going after those that are taking advantage of the generosity of the American people, and three, using peace through strength to stabilize the country and showing that we are still the world power."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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