Senator says US facing gravest threats since pre-WWII era
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As he prepares to leave the Senate after four decades, Mitch McConnell warns that the United States is facing unprecedented global danger.
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Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., leaving the chamber after Republicans clawed back previously passed funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid spending, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, July 17, 2025 (AP)
Outgoing US Senator Mitch McConnell has issued a stark warning, calling the current global climate “the most dangerous period since before World War II.”
In a recent interview for the Lexington Herald-Leader, the 83-year-old Kentucky Republican expressed deep concern over the United States' readiness amid growing international threats.
Reflecting on his decades in the Senate and his early experience in the Army Reserve during the Vietnam War, McConnell emphasized the urgent need for a strong US foreign policy. He cited rising threats from DPRK, China, Russia, Iran, and the broader Axis of Resistance, stating, “We’re not prepared like we should be.”
Central to McConnell’s remarks was his ongoing support for Ukraine during its war with Russia. He warned that a Russian victory would have far-reaching consequences. “What we need to do is avoid the headline at the end of the war, ‘Russia wins, America loses.’ It has huge worldwide implications," he said.
Despite division within the Republican Party, McConnell has consistently advocated for US military aid to Ukraine. Under the Biden administration, that aid has amounted to roughly $67 billion. McConnell noted that a significant portion of that spending remained in the United States, contributing to defense manufacturing in states like Kentucky.
Read more: Mankind stands between war and peace: Xi Jinping
Tensions between Trump administration policies, McConnell's views
US President Donald Trump has criticized the scale of aid sent to Ukraine, instead advocating for a negotiated peace that would require territorial concessions from both Ukraine and Russia. Trump has also pushed for sweeping global tariffs, policies that echo the protectionist “America First” stance of the 1930s.
McConnell drew a direct historical comparison, referencing President Herbert Hoover’s Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which many historians believe worsened the Great Depression. “Those who were totally anxious to stay out of all of what was going on in Europe were called ‘America First.’ Sound familiar?” he said.
To address concerns about defense spending, McConnell explained that nearly half of the military aid to Ukraine is being invested domestically, modernizing the US industrial base across 38 states. “We’ve sent older weapons to Ukraine,” he added, underscoring the strategic value of the investment for national defense.
In July, Trump announced that European allies would purchase American-made weapons for Ukraine. Meanwhile, the US State Department recently confirmed that $85 million worth of extended-range cruise missiles and related systems are awaiting congressional approval.
Read more: Moscow says Russia, US have interest in normalizing relations
Economic outlook amid global instability
Despite concerns over global instability and the Trump administration’s trade policies, the US economy has shown signs of resilience. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently stated, “The labor market remains near maximum employment, and inflation, though still somewhat elevated, has come down a great deal from its post-pandemic highs.”
Still, McConnell’s warning stands as a reminder of the complex foreign policy landscape facing the United States in the years ahead.
