Meet the Press interviews for 2025 races: on Foreign Policy


Kristi Noem: Canada can help us or they can get in the way

Canada needs to come to the table. They need to work with us to make sure that not only can we be good neighbors but that we can help each other's economies by getting in line and making sure that our immigration policies are followed, and that dangerous criminals face consequences. The president has been very clear there's a new sheriff in town, that he's putting Americans first, and that Canada can help us or they can get in the way, and they will face the consequences of it.
Source: Meet the Press: 2025 Trump Cabinet interviews Feb 2, 2025

Mike Waltz: US foreign aid has become incredibly bloated

Look, USAID, and you have seen hearing after hearing after hearing on this, and the current chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and the past, in the House, completely support an overhaul of USAID. It has become incredibly bloated. It's become incredibly top-heavy. And it's essentially a series of contracts. If you think the big defense contractors have too much power and too much influence, wait until you dig into the USAID contractors and the subcontractors and the local contractors.
Source: Meet the Press: 2025 Trump Cabinet interviews Feb 9, 2025

Mike Waltz: Reassert American leadership in the Western hemisphere

Well, I don't think there's any plans to invade Canada, if that's what you're talking about. But really what you're seeing is a reassertion of American leadership in the Western hemisphere, from the Arctic all the way down to the Panama Canal. And that's what we're talking about, from Greenland to Arctic security to the Panama Canal coming back under the United States.
Source: Meet the Press: 2025 Trump Cabinet interviews Feb 9, 2025

J.B. Pritzker: Israel needs to ensure food assistance to innocent Gazans

Q: Prime Minister Netanyahu says he's now planning a ground invasion into Gaza City. More than half of the Democratic Senators actually voted to block sales of some weapons to Israel. Do you think the US should stop sending weapons to Israel?

PRITZKER: The resolution in the US Senate was an effort to send a message. And it's the right kind of a message, which is that Israel needs to make sure that the food assistance that ought to go to innocent Palestinians should arrive there. And they should do everything in their power to prevent the starvation. I believe it's very important for us not only to protect those who are innocent--on both sides of that border, making sure that Israelis and Palestinians are protected--but also to make sure that we're seeing the return of the hostages, that Israel is allowed to stand up to terrorists like Hamas but not allowed to target the innocent people of Gaza. We've all got to stand up and make sure that the innocent are protected.

Source: Meet the Press 2025 interview of 2026 Illinois Governor race Aug 10, 2025

Zohran Mamdani: Protect against antisemitism; don't globalize the intifada

Q: You were recently asked about the term "globalize the intifada." In that moment you did not condemn the phrase. It's a phrase that many people hear as a call to violence against Jews. Do you condemn that phrase "globalize the intifada?"

MAMDANI: That's not language that I use. The language that I use is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights. The belief that freedom and justice and safety are things that have to be applied to all people, and that includes Israelis and Palestinians as well.

Q: But do you actually condemn that phrase, "globalize the intifada"?

MAMDANI: I've heard from many Jewish New Yorkers who have shared their concerns with me, especially in light of [recent anti-Semitic] horrific attacks. They are part and parcel of why I've put forward a commitment to increase funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800%. And that is the mayor I will be, one that protects Jewish New Yorkers and lives up to that commitment through the work that I do.

Source: Meet the Press interview of 2025 NYC Mayoral candidates Jun 29, 2025

  • The above quotations are from Meet the Press interviews for 2025 races
    (Chuck Todd interviewing candidates for 2021-2025 races).
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2024 Presidential contenders on Foreign Policy:
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V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA)
Chase Oliver(L-GA)
Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA)
Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL)
Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH)
Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN)
Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)

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Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE)
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S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R)
Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R)
Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
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Page last updated: Aug 14, 2025