Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar gives foreign policy address

Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-MN
Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar speaks during an event at Grand River Center in Dubuque, Iowa, on Dec. 7, 2019.
Jessica Reilly | Telegraph Herald via AP file

Minnesota U.S. Sen. and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar gave a foreign policy address at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington.

She proposed ways to restore American leadership, rejoin international agreements, repair alliances and respond to global threats and challenges.

Referring to the current administration, Klobuchar said “what’s most troubling of all is the damage to our moral authority and makes it more difficult for us to attract allies, to inspire people around the world to look to our example. Our democratic allies and partners have trusted us to lead for the benefit of all, and not just for ourselves.”

Klobuchar said, “by standing together with our allies and investing in ourselves, we can protect our interests and build a more just world.”

She proposed five steps to address the challenges facing our country. “These are simply called the five Rs: restoring American leadership, repairing our alliances, rejoining international agreements, responding appropriately to the threats and challenges that come before us, and reasserting American values.”

“Restoring American leadership,” she said, “both at home and in the world, begins with rebuilding the State Department and expanding our budget for foreign assistance. That’s not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do. As former Secretary Mattis once said — and I wish he was still there — ‘If you don’t fully fund the State Department, then I need to buy more ammunition.’”

Sen. Klobuchar spoke on Wednesday at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C.

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