The Trump Administration's Disregard For Arms Control Is Damaging To Our National Security

Statement

Vice Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Anthony G. Brown (MD-04), released the following statement in response to the Trump administration's announcement it would suspend U.S. compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

"The INF Treaty has been an important source of security for the United States and our allies in Asia and Europe. Russia's repeated violations of the treaty are irresponsible and destabilizing, however the administration's commitment to unilateral withdrawal, with seemingly little-to-no plan for what comes next, is cause for alarm. Abandoning treaties with our adversaries, from the JCPOA to the INF, will not make the United States, or the world, safer. Opening the door for Russia to create and deploy nuclear weapons with impunity, with no plan to diplomatically counter their malign activities, only damages our national security, brings us closer to an arms race, and makes the risk of conflict in Europe much more severe."

"The administration's withdrawal only increases the importance of the trans-Atlantic alliance, which will continue to be the bedrock of our defense against Russia. The President must now work with Congress to strengthen the NATO enhanced forward presence and our relationships with our European allies. I strongly encourage the administration refrain from further undermining our NATO alliance, and instead, pursue tough multilateral diplomacy."

"As the President's own intelligence officials made clear this week: Russia, China, and North Korea represent an emerging adversarial axis that stands counter to U.S. interests and democracies around the globe. Abandoning efforts to diplomatically reduce arms while simultaneously undermining our alliances in Europe and Asia leave us, and the world, less safe."

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