Standing Up to the CCP in Latin America and Beyond

For too long, China has encroached into the Western Hemisphere, exerting its influence over Latin American regions — especially in the Panama Canal. The Biden administration was asleep at the wheel, funding woke initiatives abroad instead of paying attention to this threat in our backyard.

Thankfully, after facing pressure from the Trump administration, Panama decided to cut ties with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a program through which the CCP acts as a friend to developing nations and then saddles them with insurmountable debt.

This is a major win for U.S. national security and economic interests. I applaud Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Latin America — his first diplomatic trip — which underscores the importance of strengthening our alliances in the Western Hemisphere and countering the Chinese Communist Party’s growing influence. I will continue working in Congress to ensure our foreign policy prioritizes strong partnerships with our allies and a secure Western Hemisphere free from China’s malign intentions.

Holding Iran and Its Terror Proxies Accountable

I strongly support President Trump’s executive order re-establishing maximum deterrence on Iran. Iran continues to fund and arm terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis — threatening U.S. national security and our allies. That’s why, during his first term, President Trump enacted sanctions on Iran that nearly bled their coffers dry. President Biden inexplicably allowed many of these sanctions to lapse, which I attempted to correct by introducing the FIGHT Crime Act last Congress to sanction Iranian missiles and drones. I’m glad to see President Trump reimposing pressure on the Iranian regime and sending a clear message: America will not tolerate terrorism or those who enable it.

I’m also pleased he withdrew U.S. support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), a UN-sponsored group that has demonstrated a long-standing anti-Israel bias and deeply concerning terrorism ties. Several UNRWA employees even participated in Hamas’ brutal October 7 massacre against the Israeli people. The United States had no business forcing taxpayers to fund this group.

As Chairman Emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I remain committed to ensuring the full enforcement of sanctions and holding the Iranian regime accountable for its destabilizing actions. We must continue working to put American interests first, stand up to the Iranian regime, and ensure no one messes with our ally, Israel.

Building a Stronger Cyber Workforce to Protect Our Nation

Cybersecurity is national security. That’s why, when I chaired the House Homeland Security Committee, I worked to strengthen and expand the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program. As our adversaries like China and Russia ramp up their cyber-attacks — targeting everything from the Trump campaign to critical infrastructure across the nation — we must ensure our cyber workforce is prepared to rise to the challenge. At this week’s House Homeland Security Committee hearing, I questioned witnesses on the success of the cybercorps scholarship program and more. I will continue working to strengthen federal-state collaboration on cybersecurity and advance policies that equip our cyber workforce for the future.

Click below to watch my full exchange with witnesses at the hearing.

Click to Watch

ICYMI: Rep. McCaul TV Coverage

McCaul on NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas Reports

"The federal government is charged with immigration laws and the enforcement of immigration laws — they have not been enforced under the Biden Administration ...The people we are targeting right now are the most violent dangerous felons who Mayorkas let into the country illegally.... and in violation of federal law"