This budget positions the United States to up our game in the Indo-Pacific: the frontline in our competition with Beijing.

The policy that administration after administration has pursued over 5 decades, Republican and Democrats alike, grounded in the One China Policy, the Taiwan Relations Act, of the Three Communiques, or Six Assurances, has done very well.

One of the reasons that we established the Global Engagement Center was precisely to be able to push back effectively on that, but with the truth, not with misinformation or disinformation.

I think that Congressional engagement is absolutely vital.

It would be vital to make sure that having negotiated their extension that we provide the resources necessary to do that.

We are not trying to contain China. And in fact, the United States continues to have a comprehensive trade and investment relationship with China.

We are acting at a deficit, at a disadvantage.

My first priority is the safety of our people. And I determined that the deteriorating security conditions in Khartoum posed an unacceptable risk to keeping our team there at this time.

It was. He is the Commander in Chief.

I believe me, Bishop Alvarez should be released and we'll continue to work on that.

Trying to break this nexus between political elites and the gangs is critical.

An international order that values democracy and human rights, and respects international borders is not a given.