Sen. Coons: "Our timeline for containing North Korea is getting short. And the threat to the United States is real."

Interview

U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC to discuss the Russian sanctions bill that President Trump signed this morning and North Korea.

"I think the President needs to be clear that he sees Putin for the threat that he is to our allies across Western Europe, to our democracy and to our future, because I think we should try and have better relations with Putin, but that will only happen if we stand up to Putin and are tougher in the face of his aggression and I think that has to begin with the President," said Senator Coons.

"I think there is clearly division in the White House between advisers who say we should reduce our footprint and only be doing counterterrorism and those who say we should be strengthening our force on the ground and getting our NATO allies to continue the long-term effort," said Senator Coons. "I need to get a classified briefing on the Taliban and what is most likely to push them to negotiations. I don't want to see us lose the gains we made in Afghanistan but I also question whether there is a strategy to win or whether we're trying to avoid losing."

Excerpts from the interview:

Senator Coons on his questions for Secretaries Mattis and Tillerson: Well, later today, as you mentioned, the Foreign Relations Committee is going to meet in a classified briefing with Secretaries Mattis and Tillerson. The topic is reviewing the authorization of the use of military force. The President continues to undertake military action in a number of countries under an AUMF that is woefully out of date, it dates back to 2001. On a bipartisan basis, the Committee has been trying to move forward with a new authorization, but I'll be asking questions, as I expect will other senators of both parties, about strategy with regards to North Korea and Afghanistan, two places where we haven't yet heard a clear statement of strategy from the President or from his Secretaries of Defense or State.

Senator Coons on next steps in Afghanistan: I think there is clearly division in the White House between advisers who say we should reduce our footprint and only be doing counterterrorism and those who say we should be strengthening our force on the ground and getting our NATO allies to continue the long-term effort. I need to get a classified briefing on the Taliban and what is most likely to push them to negotiations. I don't want to see us lose the gains we made in Afghanistan but I also question whether there is a strategy to win or whether we're trying to avoid losing.

Senator Coons on Trump's Russia sanctions: I'm glad the President signed the Russia sanctions bill today, but I'm struck that he did so not making a strong statement against Russia and their interference in our 2016 elections. In fact, he made a strong statement against the Congress, which was a striking choice in terms of timing. I think the President needs to be clear that he sees Putin for the threat that he is to our allies across Western Europe, to our democracy and to our future, because I think we should try and have better relations with Putin, but that will only happen if we stand up to Putin and are tougher in the face of his aggression and I think that has to begin with the President.

Senator Coons on the future of the State Department: As someone on the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the State Department, I'm gravely concerned by the Trump Administration's proposed deep cuts to the State Department. That still hasn't been resolved. I think the tension between Secretary Tillerson saying months ago that our strategy with regards to North Korea is a diplomatic one, and we're going to try and put every force we can out there in the world and our ambassadors will try to press our allies, to press China, to press North Korea, that's in real contrast to a budget proposal that would slash our State Department by more than a third. I am hopeful that Democrats and Republicans will come together to sustain funding for diplomacy and development. But I think Secretary Tillerson also needs to show leadership within the State Department and make it clear that he also isn't going to see significant layoffs and significant cuts in the State Department if we want them to be a key part of our leadership in the world.

Senator Coons on potential funding cuts to the State Department: I think that uncertainty is really destabilizing the career foreign service, the civil servants, the folks who serve us all around the world, often in difficult and dangerous posts. They need to know they're going to have the support to be able to carry forward their functions. A 30% cut, even a 15% cut, for a role as important as our State Department would be significant. And I do think that is distracting our career diplomats from what ought to be their principle focus, which is making us safe through working with our allies to contain North Korea's dangerous nuclear program, to continue to push back on Iran's nuclear efforts, and to make sure that we have got a positive future with regards to Russian aggression.

Senator Coons on potential sanctions against China for Trump's claim that they are failing to reign in North Korea: If he does that, I would expect a strong counter response from China. It would have some real consequences, particularly for some of our agricultural exports, which is one of our most robust export sectors. My hope would be that he would consult with Congress before taking a decisive action that would have significant consequences for our economy. But I do think it is time for us to come up with a strategy to push China to action against North Korea. Our timeline for containing North Korea is getting short. And the threat to the United States is real.

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