U.S. Global Leadership Coalition

In The Spotlight

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At a time of change and challenge at home and abroad, these investments will enhance the security of Americans, assure the future American leadership, and help build the foundations of peace, stability, and prosperity in the years ahead.

Hillary Clinton Secretary of State

There has never been a time when we could waste money on defense or foreign aid. We need to make sure the money is wisely spent. . . On the other hand, to withdraw or retreat from the world will create a vacuum that will be filled by [other] actors…Disengaging from the world will end up costing us more.

Marco Rubio United States Senator

Economic development is a lot cheaper than sending soldiers.

Robert Gates Former Secretary of Defense

The account we’re talking about can make the difference between a safe America or an at-risk America… if you don’t see it as a national security tool, then I think that we are missing the mark as a nation.

Lindsey Graham United States Senator

This is not just a military campaign. This is not a campaign where we take the hill, plant the flag, and come home to a victory parade. This is a civil-military comprehensive endeavor that requires building on what our troopers in uniform have achieved.

General David Petraeus Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

A safer world and a more prosperous America go hand-in-hand. Economic growth is the key to avoiding the kind of painful austerity that would limit our ability to generate both hard and soft power.

Representative Paul Ryan Chairman of the House Budget Committee

The programs supported by the International Affairs Budget are as essential to our national security as defense programs. Development and diplomacy protect our nation by addressing the root causes of terrorism and conflict. But it’s not just about security. By building new markets overseas for American products, the International Affairs Budget creates jobs and boosts the economy here at home.

Tom Ridge Former Secretary of Homeland Security

The investments we make today in the developing world will help create the jobs of tomorrow here in America. Right now, the tough choice is to maintain foreign assistance, not to cut it. Right now, the bold act of leadership is to defend spending on key international programs, not to attack it.

Bill Gates Chairman of Microsoft

Greater engagement through diplomacy and development is not an option in today’s world: it is a necessity. Investing in American diplomacy serves the interests of our country in all corners of the globe and helps create a better, safer world.

Madeleine Albright Former Secretary of State