White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan appeared on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, where he claimed that the United States is “better off” internationally under Joe Biden’s administration than it was four years ago.
The statement comes as the administration continues to face backlash over the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and its handling of foreign policy challenges, including military aid to Ukraine and Israel.
Sullivan argued that the Biden administration strengthened America’s alliances globally, highlighting NATO and partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region.
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“Our alliances are stronger than we found them four years ago. They’re stronger than they’ve been in decades. NATO is more powerful, purposeful, and bigger,” Sullivan said.
He also stated that adversaries like Russia, Iran, and China are “weaker across the board.”
Despite this assertion, host Jake Tapper questioned whether Biden’s leadership has left America safer, especially in light of foreign policy controversies.
Sullivan maintained that the administration has avoided new wars and kept the country out of prolonged conflicts.
“I think the American people are safer and the country is better off than we were four years ago,” he stated.
The Biden administration has heavily invested in international conflicts.
According to the Department of Defense, the U.S. has committed approximately $56.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Similarly, following the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack, the U.S. has provided an estimated $12.5 billion in direct military aid to Israel, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Sullivan emphasized that the administration’s efforts will position President-elect Donald Trump with a stronger national security framework, including economic and technological advancements. “We will be handing off the engines of American power humming,” he said.
Tapper pressed Sullivan on the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and the Taliban’s return to power.
Reports have suggested Sullivan offered to resign after the withdrawal, though he declined to discuss private conversations.
“What I can tell you is that the United States of America is definitively better off that we are not entering our 25th year of Americans fighting and dying in Afghanistan,” Sullivan said.
When asked about personal responsibility for the withdrawal’s failures, Sullivan acknowledged shared accountability within the administration but defended the decision to end the war.
“I also believe that the strategic call President Biden made… has been judged well by history and will continue to be judged well,” he stated.
Sullivan downplayed connections between Afghanistan and recent domestic terrorist threats, asserting that the U.S. has shifted its focus to broader counterterrorism efforts.
“The terrorist threat has gotten more diffuse and metastasized elsewhere,” he said.
The United States is Safer Now Than it Was 4 Years Ago – Biden’s National Security Advisor…
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan appeared on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, where he claimed that the United States is “better off” internationally under Joe… pic.twitter.com/hMwSbuAZXJ
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Biden and Kamala Harris have faced criticism for their handling of the withdrawal.
During the pullout, Biden repeatedly denied being warned by military leaders against the move, leading to conflicting messages from the administration.
Gold Star families have also condemned the administration, accusing it of ignoring their concerns.
One father told Fox Business that the Biden-Harris administration had “ignored” families of the service members who died during the withdrawal.
As the Biden administration prepares to hand over power, its legacy on foreign policy remains a contentious topic, with critics pointing to missteps and controversies that continue to spark debate across the country.
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