Conflicts in Israel, Ukraine dominate foreign policy issues in presidential race
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Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series examining where presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump stand on the biggest issues. Today’s segment focuses on foreign policy.
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Foreign policy is one of the key issues for voters in the presidential election, as the conflicts in the Middle East rage on and Russia’s incursion into Ukraine continues to dominate the international scene.
The candidates also have focused on China’s influence on world issues, and Iran’s and North Korea’s growing nuclear programs.
A Spotlight PA/MassINC poll conducted in September found foreign policy was the most important issue for 45% of voters, behind abortion, democracy, guns and the economy. Still, Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump have focused heavily on the U.S. involvement in international matters.
Here’s where the candidates stand on foreign policy issues:
Harris
Harris has backed President Joe Biden’s support of Israel and has called for the return of the more than 100 hostages that remain following Hamas’ attack Oct. 7, 2023. She also supports an immediate cease-fire in Gaza while seeking to provide humanitarian relief for the Palestinians impacted by the violence.
It’s an issue that has dogged Harris during the race.
She and Biden have drawn sharp criticisms on college campuses and from the large Arab-American population in Michigan, one of the key swing states in the race, over perceived failures to secure a cease-fire and continued shipments of weapons to Israel.
Harris has said she supported Israel’s right to defend itself while also calling for a two-state solution that would enable Israel and a Palestinian state to exist.
“Vice President Harris will always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself, and she will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself. She and President Biden are working to end the war in Gaza, such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, security, freedom, and self-determination,” according to Harris’ campaign website.
Harris also has pledged support for Ukraine and vowed continued backing of NATO while criticizing Trump over his dealings during and after his presidency with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The vice president stressed the importance of victory for Ukraine and has backed the efforts to help its defense.
The Biden administration provided $55.7 billion in security assistance and $175 billion in economic assistance and has refused to send American troops to Ukraine.
Harris has opposed calls for any peace deal that would require Ukraine to cede land to Russia.
“These proposals are the same as those of Putin, and let us be clear, they are not proposals for peace. Instead, they are proposals for surrender, which is dangerous and unacceptable,” she said after an early October meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Harris also has taken a hard line against Trump’s favorable comments regarding Putin and other world dictators. During a televised town hall in Delaware County, she called Trump a fascist, mirroring a characterization leveled against him by his former chief of staff, John Kelly.
She also has criticized Trump for pulling the U.S. out of a deal reached by the Obama administration to restrict Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
Trump
The former president has forcefully backed Israel’s efforts in Gaza and said he would continue to support its military efforts to eliminate Hamas and other terrorist groups that threaten its security.
Trump has claimed the Oct. 7 attack against Israel would not have occurred had he been in the White House and claimed a Harris presidency would lead to Israel’s destruction.
“She hates Israel,” Trump said of Harris during their debate in September. “If she’s president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years from now. And I’ve been pretty good at predictions. And I hope I’m wrong about that one. She hates Israel. At the same time in her own way she hates the Arab population because the whole place is going to get blown up, Arabs, Jewish people, Israel. Israel will be gone.”
Trump has said he would fully support Israel’s defense.
Trump similarly has claimed Russia’s incursion into Ukraine would have been prevented had he remained in the White House. He contends he has enough sway with Putin to immediately end the hostilities and has suggested he would be reluctant to continue providing Ukraine with weapons.
On numerous occasions, he has claimed a Harris presidency would be a precursor to World War III.
“That is a war that’s dying to be settled. I will get it settled before I even become president. If I win, when I’m President-Elect, and what I’ll do is I’ll speak to one, I’ll speak to the other, I’ll get them together,” Trump said.
He also has threatened to scale back U.S. support of NATO unless European members pay more toward its defense and defended his Iranian policy. He said he would impose additional sanctions and take more aggressive action toward Iran’s influence over terror organizations that operate in the Middle East and throughout the world.