Donald Trump plans to pledge cooperation with any country willing to help the United States defeat the Islamic State and again call for immigration restrictions during a Monday address on fighting terrorism, campaign officials said.
“He’s going to talk about how you target your enemies and work with your friends,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., a Trump adviser who spoke with ABC News. “You don’t overreach and destabilize countries like the Obama/Clinton administration has done.”
In calling for a new program of “foreign policy realism,” the Republican nominee, who has criticized U.S. activity in Iraq and Libya, will also declare his opposition to “nation building” and other efforts to spread democracy in the Middle East and elsewhere, according to the campaign.
Trump delivers his speech at 2 p.m. ET at Youngstown State University in Ohio, a key state in his election battle against Democrat Hillary Clinton.
In his prepared speech, Trump plans to call for a foreign policy overhaul in three general areas, according to the campaign: Diplomacy, immigration, and national security (particularly cyber-security).
On the diplomatic front, Trump plans to make a specific pledge to work with any country willing to make a commitment to help defeat “radical Islamic terrorism,” a battle he will compare to the Cold War against the Soviet Union, the campaign said. The main target is the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, the extremist group active in parts of Iraq, Syria, and Libya.
That list of anti-ISIS allies would presumably include Russia. Trump has proposed a closer relationship with Russia in order to fight the Islamic State in Syria. Trump’s critics say Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to use the Republican nominee to further an anti-Western agenda.
“Mr. Trump’s speech will explain that while we can’t choose our friends, we must always recognize our enemies,” senior policy adviser Stephen Miller said.
Immigration has fueled much of Trump’s presidential campaign, including his call for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. In his counter-terrorism speech, Trump plans to re-assert his call for a ban on immigrants from countries with major terrorism problems, saying it is impossible to properly vet people coming from those places.
Under Trump’s plan, immigrants would also be subjected to tests to show a commitment to U.S. values, including religious freedom and tolerance.
Trump’s call for improved cybersecurity comes after a series of hackings targeting the U.S. government and businesses, including Democratic Party organizations. Various officials have accused Russia and China of involvement in anti-U.S. cyber attacks.
The foreign policy speech is a complement to the economy speech that Trump gave last week, aides said, describing them as twin pillars of the candidate’s policy agenda.
Click here to continue reading…
SOURCE: David Jackson
USA TODAY
BCNN1 WP 