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Julia Johnson Accuses Trump Admin Of Taking ‘Wrecking Ball’ To Foreign Policy Without Oversight
Forbes Breaking News
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5/6/2025
During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing last week, Rep. Julia Johnson (D-TX) slammed the Trump Administration and Sec. Marco Rubio actions within the State Department.
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00:00
The Biggs, Representative Johnson. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. You know, I appreciate
00:05
that you are trying to follow in the footsteps of Ranking Member Meeks and reauthorize the State
00:12
Department. But this process is being done, is not being done in a transparent or bipartisan way.
00:19
An org chart alone does not tell us how offices will be staffed and how technical expertise will
00:25
be retained, whether budget and resource allocations will reflect the mergings of offices and restructuring
00:31
of foreign assistance, or whether the remaining offices will have the independence and authority
00:36
to do a good work regardless of which politicians are in office. But Republicans have refused to
00:42
hold even one hearing to date with Secretary Rubio to explain to the American people why they are
00:48
dismantling vital agencies and programs. I understand from today that he hopefully will come to test
00:55
before this committee, and I hope in fact that that actually happens. The administration has
01:01
already slashed our interagency regardless of congressional authorization or input and reportedly
01:06
plans to downsize our global presence by closing dozens of embassies and consulates. This reorganization
01:12
would have a dramatic U.S. national security implications, constitutes an unjustified seismic
01:18
shift in the U.S. foreign policy enterprise, and includes many proposed measures that would be
01:23
illegal and without congressional action. Let me be clear, what has been proposed by Republicans in this
01:28
administration would make us less safe and risk American lives. The State Department, USAID, and its
01:36
diplomatic corps have been the backbone of American foreign policy, advancing U.S. interests, strengthening
01:42
alliances, and responding to global crisis. Democrats have never shied away from conversations about improving the
01:49
existing system, but slashing their workforces, closing embassies, consulates, and missions, and dismantling
01:55
key bureaus is reckless and cripples our inability to conduct diplomacy, counter China and Russia, and maintain
02:02
our way of life. The administration must engage with Congress, including testifying before us to
02:09
explain and defend these plans to restructure the country's premier diplomatic agencies. Otherwise, this is not a serious or thoughtful
02:17
process, and Democrats will not rubber stamp half-baked dangerous challenges.
02:22
You know, I'm also, I'm very concerned about just the lack of stability.
02:27
I believe one of you testified in response to another member's question,
02:31
just the ongoing nature of administration to administration to administration, and I'm very concerned
02:38
about what that does to the role of U.S. stability in the world with, is how people view us as a partner,
02:45
and are we less stable? Are we less reliable? Can they not? Are we subject to such broad changing whims?
02:53
And it makes us, I think, an unreliable partner, and it's very concerning to me. And also, I think this
03:00
process of reorganization is appropriate. It's something we should absolutely do in a thoughtful,
03:08
reasoned manner. But what's happened is the administration has taken a wrecking ball to our
03:14
foreign policy, and then we're supposed to come back and take a look at it in the review mirror.
03:21
And that's not how the process is designed to work. The process should be, we should have people come in
03:27
and testify regarding various programs and let us determine, have they fulfilled their mission? Did they
03:31
never achieve the intended purpose? Have they exceeded their authority? Or whatever the case may be.
03:37
And then this committee should be able to go through and decide and give directives. These are the
03:42
programs that Congress chooses to fund. Rather than that, the administration has just obliterated them
03:47
all, expecting this committee to rubber stamp it in full. So my question to you is, what would be the
03:53
practical impact of a nearly 50 percent cut to the department's budget request by the administration on the
03:59
state department's programming and personnel? I think we're close on time. So Dr. Zia?
04:06
I would just repeat the point I made earlier, Congresswoman. It doesn't add up. And you know,
04:12
a 15 percent domestic staffing cut combined with a 50, 5-0 percent operational cut, it's very hard for me
04:20
to imagine how, you know, this conversation has been about meeting 21st century challenges, streamlining
04:27
decision-making, yes, absolutely, to be able to be more agile, more impactful for the American people.
04:34
There's a lot of explaining to do how this could possibly happen with, it isn't even attenuated. That
04:40
is a, that is an unprecedented cut and chop to U.S. diplomatic operations.
04:48
And we're talking about things like oversight, which are absolutely essential. How do you do that all
04:54
with far fewer salaries paid and operations in place when our adversaries are in maximum overdrive?
05:03
Right. Thank you. I'm out of time. Thank you so much. And I yield back.
05:06
Thank you, Representative Johnson. I know it was before your time.
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