SALT LAKE CITY, UT – At a conversation yesterday with Utah leaders, hosted by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC), U.S. Representative Blake Moore (R-UT-01) spoke out on how U.S. engagement around the world matters locally to Utah communities. Rep. Moore was joined by Gen. Robert B. Neller, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), and Miles Hanson, President & CEO, World Trade Center Utah, for a discussion on how American leadership in the world helps Utah’s economy and families.

Rep. Moore spoke to the role America’s leadership plays in the world, saying, “The absence of American leadership, makes mole hills become mountains…. When we don’t show leadership, those mole hills become mountains and they become big, big problems that we have to deal with later and …we do end up dealing with them.”

Also speaking about why U.S. leadership globally matters locally were: Attorney General Sean Reyes, State of Utah; Senator Ann Millner, Majority Whip, Utah State Senate; Former U.S. Rep Ben McAdams (D-UT-4); Lew Cramer, CEO, Colliers International Utah and USGLC Utah Advisory Committee Chair. The conversation, hosted by USGLC, brought together business, non-profit, veteran, faith, and community leaders from Salt Lake City and the wider region.

General Neller spoke to the important role that American allies play when he said, “There’s no way the United States, by itself, is going to be able to, if we had to, address the multiple potential adversaries that exist. Whether it be the PRC [People’s Republic of China], whether it be Russia, whether it be North Korea, whether it be Iran or global terrorism, we’ve got to have our partners and our partners have been there with us. They’ve been there with us everywhere… We need these partnerships and we need alliances, not just for stability and security in the world, but for the growth of the global economy and what we value as liberal values and rights as a Western democracy.”

Speaking about the state of global crises, Miles Hansen said, “I think, as we all look out beyond the horizon, we are facing a world in which there’s more conflict, more challenges, and yet less cooperation. And there’s reason to be pessimistic and it’s challenging at times, there are so many challenges out there, and yet in that environment, that is a time that we need to lean into our global engagement.”

With more than $18 billion in global exports from Utah in 2021, America’s investments in diplomacy and development benefit Utah locally. Last year, more than 430,000 jobs in Utah were supported by international trade. Of the more than 3,500 Utah businesses that export goods, 85 percent are small or medium-sized businesses.

“Utahns understand how critical U.S. development and diplomacy programs are when it comes to protecting our national security, advancing our economic interests, and projecting the very best American values to the rest of the world,” said Michelle Bekkering, USGLC National Engagement Director. “We welcome the leadership of Representative Moore and his continued support for global diplomacy and democracy initiatives around the world. Leading globally truly matters locally to communities across Utah, and we’re fortunate to see so many Utah leaders dedicated to advancing U.S. leadership on the global stage.”

For the full discussion, watch the event here.

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