Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) sharply criticized the Trump administration’s successful effort to cut $9 billion in previously approved federal spending, warning that the reductions will damage America’s global influence and national security interests.
Speaking to Virginia media Thursday (July 17), Senator Warner said the Senate’s late-night passage of what’s known as a rescission package represents a dangerous retreat from decades of American leadership worldwide. The legislation strips about $8 billion from foreign assistance programs and more than $1 billion from public broadcasting.
“What you’ve seen Donald Trump do in six months is destroy 75 years of American soft power,” Warner said. “Our strength comes not only from our economy and our military, but it comes from the fact that we’ve been viewed as the good guys around the world.”
The rescission package passed with support from all but two Republicans, despite what Warner described as private concerns from GOP senators about overriding the congressional appropriations process. Warner said the cuts eliminate federal support for Afghan veterans who served with U.S. forces, faith-based organizations assisting starving children, and efforts to combat the spread of AIDS.
Warner expressed particular concern about reduced support for Africa, noting the continent will have 25% of the world’s population by 2050 and contains virtually all critical rare earth minerals needed by the United States. He said the cuts create an opening for China to expand its influence.
“China can come in behind us and literally for pennies on the dollar, say we will now help you,” Warner said. “As these countries buy Chinese technology and Chinese equipment, we wonder why. Well, these countries no longer believe they can count on America.”
The senator cited a recent poll showing that 23 of 25 nations now believe China, not the United States, is the world’s preeminent economic power.
The legislation also cuts federal funding for public broadcasting, which Warner said will result in a $100 million reduction in support for Virginia’s NPR and public television stations. He emphasized that public broadcasting often serves as the primary source of emergency notifications in many communities.
“You would think after the tragedy in Texas and after we saw the destruction by Hurricane Helene, that folks wouldn’t have walked away from this commitment to public broadcasting,” Warner said.
Warner described the cuts as particularly harmful to rural Virginia, which he noted voted overwhelmingly for Trump. He said rural communities face a “double whammy” from both hospital closures and reduced emergency notification capabilities.
On intelligence matters, Warner highlighted the bipartisan passage of the Intelligence Authorization Act through the Intelligence Committee, which he serves on as vice chair. The legislation includes provisions for enhanced cyber protection and establishes minimum cybersecurity standards for telecommunications companies.
Warner pointed to the Salt Typhoon incident, in which Chinese hackers infiltrated U.S. telecommunications networks, enabling them to intercept phone calls and read unencrypted text messages. He expressed surprise that Americans haven’t shown more concern about the breach.
“We still don’t know if the Chinese penetration has been eradicated and kicked out of the networks,” Warner said.
The senator called for the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, to be fired, accusing her of politicizing the intelligence community. He cited instances where intelligence professionals were allegedly told to change their conclusions to avoid embarrassing the president, including a report about a Venezuelan gang’s ties to the Maduro regime.
“When you start monkeying and changing and altering intelligence, you get a corrupt product,” Warner said. “That was what led us into the war in Iraq. Nobody wants to repeat that mistake.”
Warner criticized Gabbard’s recent appearance at a political conference where she “basically trashed the whole intelligence workforce, saying that she’s trying to root out anybody that is not loyal to the Trump regime.”
When asked about the elimination of LGBTQ youth-specific services from the National Suicide Hotline, Warner called the decision “cruel” and “heartless.” He said the cuts will lead to increased suicide rates among young people already facing mental health challenges.
“The idea that you would take the literally pennies that are spent out of the federal budget to fund these National Suicide Hotline lines, it’s wrong, it’s cruel,” Warner said. “It will lead to additional deaths.”
Regarding recent leadership changes at the University of Virginia, Warner said former President Jim Ryan was “pushed out for political reasons” after the university was threatened with budget cuts. He warned that federal bureaucrats may target other Virginia university leaders, including George Mason University President Greg Washington.
“We don’t need federal bureaucrats for political reasons trying to destroy Virginia universities,” Warner said.
On mental health workforce development, Warner acknowledged the need for more counselors and highlighted challenges in the training pipeline, particularly the requirement for 100 hours of supervised counseling that many must pay for out of pocket.
He praised the governor and the General Assembly for limiting cell phone use during school hours but called for congressional action to establish boundaries on social media platforms and the development of artificial intelligence.
“If you think social media has really helped screw up our kids, wait till you see AI on steroids and the mental health damage it will do to our children,” Warner said.
Warner concluded by calling on Republican senators to join Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski in opposing what he described as arbitrary decisions by OMB Director Russell Vought, whom he called “a tyrant” who wants to “traumatize the federal workforce.”
