Ernst Blasts Biden-Harris for More Effectively Arming Our Adversaries Than Allies
As China increases aggression, White House delivered expired ammunitions to Taiwan.
WASHINGTON – After the Biden-Harris administration delivered expired and moldy military aid to Taiwan, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, blasted Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the White House for once again undercutting a key partner and undermining American leadership.
This latest embarrassing episode of incompetence comes as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ weakness on the world stage has lit the world on fire and fueled Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and beyond.
“This embarrassing debacle highlights shortcomings in the Biden-Harris administration's counter-China strategy, undermining our relationship with a key regional partner, weakening deterrence against China, and wasting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. Last month the Department of Defense Inspector General (IG) published a report highlighting the significant failures in the oversight, planning, and execution of the presidential drawdown authority (PDA) process. These failures are particularly alarming, not only because of Taiwan’s critical role as a key security partner but also because they could impact the confidence of other U.S. allies and partners that rely on timely and reliable defense support,” wrote Ernst, a combat veteran.
“The Department of Defense failed to follow established guidelines for delivering military assistance to Taiwan. More than 67% of the equipment — including over 340 pallets — sustained water damage while stored at Travis Air Force Base for three months due to inadequate storage facilities. This resulted in the shipment of over 3,000 moldy body armor plates and 500 wet tactical vests, equipment that is essential for the safety of Taiwanese personnel. Additionally, the report indicates that 2.7 million rounds of ammunition provided to Taiwan included expired stock and packaging errors, further raising concerns about quality control,” Ernst continued.
Click here to read the full letter.
Background:
Senator Ernst has exposed and held this administration accountable for repeatedly treating our adversaries better than our friends.
In August 2024, Senator Ernst blasted the White House for sending $293 million to the Taliban and updated her TRACKS Act to track and publicly disclose any tax dollars the Pentagon sends to the Taliban or any other foreign adversary.
In September 2024, she called out Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for underfunding veterans by $15 billion but having no clue how many millions it gave to Chinese labs for risky research.
Ernst has worked tirelessly to hold President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris accountable to their “ironclad” commitment to Israel, especially while Americans are held hostage by Iran-backed Hamas.
She called out the Biden-Harris administration in August 2024 for withholding a wide array of congressionally-approved weapons and supplies from Israel.
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