FnF News
🇺🇸 FNF News | U.S. Politics & Sovereignty
Published: June 19, 2025
By: Khadija Khan, Senior Congressional Correspondent
“Whose Senate Is This?” — Rising Outcry Over Foreign Priorities in U.S. Congress
Washington, D.C. — As global conflicts rage and foreign aid spending continues to climb, a wave of pointed criticism is shaking Capitol Hill: Why do so many members of the United States Senate seem more committed to defending foreign nations than to protecting the American people?
That blunt question—posed by a growing bloc of populist lawmakers, commentators, and frustrated constituents—has become a rallying cry. The immediate target: the Senate’s bipartisan support for additional security aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, even as crises at home deepen.
“Why would you come to the United States Senate with the intention of supporting and defending another country?” demanded Senator J.D. Redding (R-ID), echoing the concern during a fiery floor speech this week. “You were not elected by Israelis, or Ukrainians, or the Taiwanese. You were elected by Americans. Start acting like it.”
His remarks went viral—clipped, captioned, and reposted millions of times across X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Rumble, as Americans across the spectrum voiced fatigue with what critics are calling ‘foreign-first governance.’
Billions Abroad, Crises at Home
Congress has approved over $250 billion in foreign military and economic aid since 2022, much of it in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and growing threats from China toward Taiwan. A large chunk—$14 billion in supplemental emergency defense assistance—was passed just last month.
Meanwhile:
- Border security remains overwhelmed, with over 6.7 million illegal crossings in the last three years.
- Food insecurity is on the rise, especially among veterans and rural communities.
- Housing costs have pushed homelessness to record levels in cities like Los Angeles and Denver.
- Veteran health programs are underfunded despite campaign promises from both parties.
“I’m not against helping others,” said Rachel Gomez, a mother of three in Arizona whose son is a deployed Marine. “But when my grocery bill is $420 a week and my kid has to go to war for a country that’s not ours, you have to ask: Who are we fighting for?”
Senators Under Fire: Loyalty or Lobbying?
The backlash has fallen hardest on long-time incumbents in both parties:
- Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) recently came under fire for what critics dubbed a “permanent war mindset” after declaring that U.S. troops may be needed in the Middle East if Israel expands operations against Iran-backed militias.
- Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), one of Congress’s most vocal pro-Israel figures, was heckled during a town hall when a constituent yelled: “You swore to defend the Constitution, not Tel Aviv!”
Some senators insist that defending allies is defending America.
“Global security is American security,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN). “If Ukraine falls, if Israel collapses, if Taiwan is invaded—it will come back to hurt us economically, militarily, and morally.”
But skeptics are calling it thin justification for endless spending and geopolitical entanglement, especially as some of those allies adopt increasingly hardline policies that don’t align with U.S. values.
‘America First’ Lawmakers Gain Steam
A new breed of lawmakers—many backed by the America First movement, libertarian groups, and independent voters—are pushing legislation that would:
- Cap foreign aid based on measurable U.S. economic benefit.
- Require a two-thirds supermajority for any new military assistance.
- Audit all existing foreign aid for corruption and misuse.
Leading the charge is Senator Marissa Hale (R-NV), who has introduced the “America Sovereign Defense Act,” which would freeze all military foreign aid unless domestic disaster response and veteran services are fully funded.
“We are not the world’s babysitter. We are not the world’s ATM,” Hale said at a press conference. “We are the United States of America. Let’s defend our home before we arm someone else’s.”
A Deep Divide in Voter Sentiment
A new Gallup poll released last week shows a striking shift: 62% of Americans now believe that “Congress prioritizes foreign interests over domestic needs.”
Among independent voters, that number climbs to 71%.
“There’s nothing inherently wrong with foreign aid,” said Dr. Mavis Jordan, political historian at the University of Michigan. “But when citizens feel like they’re footing the bill for foreign wars while their own infrastructure crumbles—that’s where resentment builds.”
That resentment is showing up in primaries. In Ohio, Florida, and Texas, incumbents who voted for foreign aid packages are facing surprise challengers with “America First” platforms focused on border control, veterans’ services, and economic independence.
Conclusion: Reclaiming the Chamber
The sentiment is simple but powerful: the United States Senate exists to represent the American people—not any foreign government, no matter how friendly.
As economic pressures mount and global entanglements deepen, that idea is becoming the dividing line between the old guard in Congress and a rising movement of populist-nationalist reformers.
“We sent you to Washington to protect our kids, not fight for someone else’s border,” one caller shouted during a live radio town hall with a Pennsylvania senator. “If you want to defend another country, maybe you should run for office there.”
And just like that, the battle for the soul of the Senate—and of American foreign policy—is underway.