Gallagher on Biden's Deterrence Debacle: Hard Power Deters, Not Sanctions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today released the following statement after President Biden said in a news conference that "sanctions don't deter."

"In January, Secretary Blinken defended the administration's decision to delay imposing sanctions on Russia because ‘the purpose of those sanctions is to deter Russian aggression,' and if they were triggered before the invasion, the U.S. would ‘lose the deterrent effect.' Today, President Biden said ‘sanctions never deter.' Which is it?

"While the administration argues with itself over whether sanctions actually deter aggression, one thing is clear: deterrence failed and the Ukrainians are paying the price. It is equally clear that the administration is falling over itself to avoid the unpleasant reality that many of our allies are finally facing: only hard power can deter our enemies. And that hard power costs money. It is long past time for the administration to throw its radical domestic agenda in the trash and get serious about investing in the hard military capabilities that will ensure deterrence does not fail again, especially in Taiwan."