US senators from both parties voiced concern that the Trump administration had failed to match its tough rhetoric on fighting terrorism in Africa with adequate resources.
State Department officials speaking at a US Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday defended Washington’s approach as a pragmatic reset from aid-dependent policies. “We will pursue a disciplined, interest-driven strategy rooted in flexible realism,” said Nick Checker, who leads the department’s Africa bureau.
But they faced pushback over ambassadorial vacancies, gutted humanitarian programs, and a lack of transparency. “I cannot accept the premise that there is a match and accord between your actions and your statements,” said Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who chairs the Africa subcommittee, focused on jihadist violence, warning that terrorist groups in Mozambique, the Sahel, and Somalia were “rapidly growing and demand attention.”