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The surprise selection of Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) to be the next chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is the latest sign of the Republican Party’s reshaping by the next generation of pro-Trump “America First” leaders “.
Considered a dark horse in the race, the decorated war veteran, who wears prosthetic legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2010, beat out three top House Republicans to lead the committee on next congress
Some sources were under the impression that President-elect Trump, who has favored elevating Florida lawmakers to his new cabinet, had leverage on Mast to secure the gavel, though one Steering Committee member said Mast “he did it all by himself.”
“I have a great relationship with President Trump. Obviously, I represent his area down there,” Mast told The Hill, referring to his Mar-a-Lago area district.
Mast said the vision he presented Monday to leaders of the House GOP Steering Committee centered on an “America First” mission statement: “Every diplomat and every dollar puts America first.”
“We want to be the partner of choice abroad,” Mast said. “It can’t be because you do things like drag shows in Ecuador, or atheism in Nepal or, you know, choose things. These are not things that make the United States a preferred partner: they are a waste of taxpayer money that most people would disagree with, even if we became a partner with someone.”
Mast also outlined plans for the committee to undertake a major reauthorization effort. congress it hasn’t happened a comprehensive foreign relations reauthorization law since 2002, although it has passed other laws establishing new State Department authorities, congressional oversight provisions, and other authorizations.
A member of the GOP steering committee said Mast gave an “excellent and clear” presentation. While the other three candidates for the Foreign Affairs gavel — Reps. Joe Wilson (R.C.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) — all had a decade or two of experience in Congress. , Mast was first elected in 2016.
Outgoing Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who was term-limited and declined to seek a resignation to hold the gavel, said he identified with Mast’s rise.
“I was a dark horse like him. So I identify with that,” McCaul said of his former chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. McCaul said he will remain on the Foreign Affairs Committee as chairman emeritus and is offering his mentorship to Mast.
“This committee declares war, it has the power to do so, and at a time when the world is on fire, it is not a time to get into personalities,” he said. “And my job as chairman emeritus is to make sure that this committee stays on track, on the right track to help the next administration bring peace to the world and not war.”
Mast’s rise also took foreign diplomats by surprise.
A diplomat serving in DC said Mast’s choice was unexpected and that Wagner or Issa seemed more likely. The diplomat said they have engaged with Mast before and see his positions as closely aligned with Trump’s.
Another diplomat, also surprised by Mast’s victory, said Wagner looked like a strong contender, and there was optimism surrounding Wilson, given his outspoken criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and staunch support for Ukraine.
“But I always thought it would be too naive under the current circumstances,” the diplomat said.
An important question is what approach Mast will take to foreign conflicts. Mast is a staunch supporter of Israel and volunteered with the Israel Defense Forces, but has been more skeptical of continued US financial support for Ukraine.
Earlier this year, Mast voted against a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine, writing a Newsweek op-ed that “Europe has all the money it needs to guarantee Kiev’s survival if only it would open its wallet to the extent it expects America to.”
“I expect full alignment with Trump’s position, I don’t see too much room for Mast’s personal initiatives regarding Ukraine. I expect that Israel is probably a higher priority on his agenda,” the foreign diplomat said.
Mast will likely find common cause with a vehemently pro-Israel foreign policy team in the Trump administration, including Rep. Elise Stefanik (RNY), his pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as Secretary of State; and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) for national security adviser.
As chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability, Mast has focused on scrutinizing where US dollars go and whether they serve US interests.
enter his biggest criticisms is the discovery of a $500,000 grant to a humanist group it may have been misused promote atheism in Nepal and Asia while seeking to promote religious freedom.
During a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday examining the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, Mast pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken on indirect U.S. assistance in Afghanistan, which say it was filling the coffers of the Taliban, the US-designated terrorist group that advanced into the country. in 2021.
“We don’t even have an embassy there, we have no business even putting a dollar in that place,” Mast told Blinken.
“I respectfully disagree,” Blinken replied. “I think the work we’ve done through these partners and through many other countries has saved many, many lives in an incredibly difficult situation.”
Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), a Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, was also surprised by Mast’s selection, saying he thought Wagner and Wilson had a good shot at the gavel. Asked if he had any concerns about continued bipartisan work on the commission, Costa said he would give Mast the benefit of the doubt.
“The proof is in the pudding. We’ll see what he does,” Costa told The Hill. “I hope he, like Mike McCaul, establishes bipartisan working efforts with both sides of the committee. That’s my hope.”
