Nashville Standard

United States Senator Bill Hagerty, a Republican from Tennessee and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan during the Trump Administration, recently appeared on CNN News Central. During his appearance, he addressed what he described as a smear campaign against former President Donald Trump and criticized the economic and foreign policies of the Biden-Harris Administration.

Reflecting on his time in the Trump Administration, Hagerty stated: "I did serve with President Trump as U.S. Ambassador to Japan... I never saw anything but the utmost respect, both President Trump's respect for our military, and their love and respect for him."

Hagerty also responded to claims made by John Kelly regarding Trump's comments about military personnel. He said: "It's wholly inconsistent with my experience with President Trump... these are old stories that are being drug up... within two weeks of the election." He further emphasized the importance of evaluating whether Americans feel better off now compared to when Trump was in office.

Addressing allegations about Trump's attitude toward the military, Hagerty defended Trump's record as Commander in Chief: "His record as commander in Chief debunks [these baseless claims] in my mind." He contrasted this with criticism of decisions made under President Joe Biden's leadership, particularly referencing events in Afghanistan.

On foreign policy matters, Hagerty expressed confidence in Trump's abilities: "I've actually seen Donald Trump in the room with Vladimir Putin and with Xi Jinping... He's able to hold his own." He argued that America needs strong representation on the global stage and suggested that Trump's past performance indicates he could fulfill this role effectively again.

Hagerty concluded by highlighting what he perceives as shortcomings of current administration policies compared to those during Trump's presidency.