Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) didn’t hold back during a recent appearance on Fox Business Network’s The Bottom Line, calling out both the Senate and international allies over what he sees as a lack of urgency on major national security issues.
The Florida representative spent his time on air pushing for the SAVE America Act and discussing the high stakes currently surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
When the conversation turned to election integrity, Donalds voiced strong support for amendments proposed by Senator Eric Schmitt, labeling them as “common sense” fixes that the public actually wants. However, he admitted he isn’t holding his breath for a smooth path through the Senate, blaming a mix of partisan divide and GOP infighting.
“Senate Republicans, a handful, not all, but a handful, refuse to do what is necessary to save the country,” Donalds said during the interview. “They’re too focused, in my opinion, on trying to save Senate procedure than saving our elections for the future of this country.” He went on to claim that the opposition has no real interest in tightening up the system, stating bluntly, “Democrats do not care about securing our elections. They don’t want voter ID.”
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The discussion then moved from domestic policy to the volatile situation in the Middle East. Donalds echoed recent sentiments from the Oval Office, suggesting that countries that have long leaned on the U.S. military for protection need to start pulling their own weight. He specifically pointed to the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but vital waterway for the world’s oil and gas supply.
“These are nations who have for decades relied on the beneficence of America to help bring security to their nations,” Donalds noted. He argued that it’s time for those leaders to “wake up and get real,” adding that “they have a responsibility, in my view, to now step up and make sure that at a minimum, the Strait of Hormuz is protected for global commerce.”
While acknowledging that the U.S. Navy has a long-standing history of keeping shipping lanes open during military flare-ups, Donalds made it clear that the U.S. shouldn’t be the only ones patrolling the seas to keep the global economy moving.
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