President Barack Obama says America's superpower status is a burden -- a remark that is beginning to draw fire from Republicans.
At the close of the two-day nuclear weapons summit in Washington, D.C., Obama was asked Tuesday how the summit would affect peace efforts in the Middle East.
"It is a vital national security interest of the United States to reduce these conflicts because whether we like it or not, we remain a dominant military superpower,” he responded.
“When conflicts break out, one way or another, we get pulled into them. And that ends up costing us significantly in terms of both blood and treasure."
The comments received little attention in the mainstream media, but several conservative bloggers blasted the president for putting America's superpower status in negative terms.
On Thursday, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., begged to differ with his opponent from the 2008 presidential campaign.
The remark represents a "direct contradiction to everything America believes in," he told Fox News. "That's one of the more incredible statements I've ever heard a president of the United States make in modern times."
McCain, a Vietnam War veteran and former prisoner of war, also said: "We are the dominant superpower, and we're the greatest force for good in the history of this country, and I thank God every day that we are a dominant superpower."
McCain isn't the only person to take a dim view of Obama lately, as the president's approval rating has dropped below 50 percent in numerous polls.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.