[VIDEO] Sen. Coons on Mueller: “He’s exactly the sort of person that many of us hoped would be named for special counsel”

Sen. Coons: “The general public wants to know whether or not senators—both Republican and Democrat—are going to work together in a responsible and bipartisan way to get to the bottom of this.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Anderson Cooper 360 last night to discuss recent news regarding the investigation into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia as well as former FBI Director James Comey’s recent allegations.

“I’m encouraged. His long record of service as a senior federal prosecutor and as former FBI director suggests that he’s exactly the sort of person that many of us hoped would be named for special counsel. He has previous experience stepping up to an overreach, an exercise of power by an administration and withstanding them, under the Bush administration, when he and a number of other law enforcement officials threatened to resign if the president and the administration didn’t respect their concerns about civil liberties. He is also a decorated Marine veteran, and someone who I think will enjoy the respect of a very wide range of members of Congress. I think this is a positive and important step.” 

“Whether he personally tried to intervene and pressure the FBI director to drop an investigation of his national security adviser. I think it’s striking. And I think, in the end, the general public wants to know whether or not senators—both Republican and Democrat—are going to work together in a responsible and bipartisan way to get to the bottom of this.”

Full audio and video available here.

Excerpts from the interview:

Senator Coons on Robert Mueller being named special counsel: I’m encouraged. His long record of service as a senior federal prosecutor and as former FBI director suggests that he’s exactly the sort of person that many of us hoped would be named for special counsel. He has previous experience stepping up to an overreach, an exercise of power by an administration and withstanding them, under the Bush administration, when he and a number of other law enforcement officials threatened to resign if the president and the administration didn’t respect their concerns about civil liberties. He is also a decorated Marine veteran, and someone who I think will enjoy the respect of a very wide range of members of Congress. I think this is a positive and important step.

Senator Coons on Americans’ concerns about current investigations: As your panel has been discussing, that is a possible path. There will be prompt conversations between Special Counsel Mueller and the Senate Intelligence Committee. I think they need to coordinate, and I would expect that, I would hope that the Senate Intelligence Committee hearings will continue and will move forward. As you know, tomorrow, the entire Senate has in front of them in a closed briefing Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, and there’s a number of important questions which I expect will still be asked of him about the role that Attorney General Sessions played in directing him to write the memo that led to Comey’s firing and whether or not he exceeded the scope of his recusal, and about what the president’s role was in the firing of FBI Director Comey. As you just heard from Carl Bernstein, there’s a number of other issues that have not yet been brought in front of either the Senate Judiciary Committee or the Intelligence Committee that I think are also going to be of concern to us; it is my hope that at the end of this, there will be a public accounting of whether or not there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. And it’s important for public confidence in the rule of law and in Congress that that result be reached. 

Senator Coons on the special counsel investigation: It’s my expectation that the special counsel investigation will be fully staffed and resourced and the odds are that that will allow them to reach a conclusion sooner than they might have on the current trajectory, but it could take months or well into several years, because the current FBI investigation has both a counterintelligence and a possible criminal component. There are a lot of details to go through here, a lot of individuals to interview and a lot of documents to review. Because of former FBI Director Mueller’s senior experience, I don’t think it will take as long for him to come up to speed, to be engaged, and to be an effective leader of this ongoing investigation. But, the end result may be a year or two away.

More on the special counsel investigation: I think what was striking was the number of my colleagues, Republicans, who did not step forward and say we needed a special prosecutor who did not step forward and say, particularly after last night’s alarming allegations in the press, that we need to get to the bottom of this, that we need to understand whether or not our president has been inappropriately sharing highly classified information with our adversaries, Russia, in the Oval Office. Whether he personally tried to intervene and pressure the FBI director to drop an investigation of his national security adviser. I think it’s striking. And I think, in the end, the general public wants to know whether or not senators—both Republican and Democrat—are going to work together in a responsible and bipartisan way to get to the bottom of this.  

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[VIDEO] Senator Coons welcomes Georgetown Police Dept. Chief R.L. Hughes to the Senate

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, welcomed Georgetown Police Chief R.L. Hughes to share his thoughts on law enforcement with the Democratic Law Enforcement Steering Committee.

Chief Hughes is a 31 year law enforcement veteran, with 24 years with the Delaware State Police, five years with Department of Homeland Security, and two years with the Georgetown Police Department. 

Watch Senator Coons and Chief Hughes discuss their meeting here.

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Coons, Hatch Introduce Bill to Grant US Marshals Service Excepted Service Appointment Authority

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the Patrick T. Carothers US Marshals Service Hiring Improvement Act of 2017, a bill that will give the US Marshals Service a better method to appoint criminal investigators. The legislation is named in honor of Deputy Commander Carothers, a long-time veteran of the US Marshals who died on November 18, 2016 in the line of duty in Long County, Georgia. The legislation will grant the Director of the US Marshals Service authority to appoint criminal investigators using excepted service hiring. Excepted service employees are those whom have already undergone the US Office of Personnel Management’s competitive hiring evaluation and have the ability to move freely from one government position to another. The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Cornyn and Klobuchar.

“The U.S. Marshals Service is a premier law enforcement agency, with a broad range of responsibilities including the capture of felony fugitives, investigation of threats against judges, protection of critical witnesses, and security of our federal courthouses,” Senator Coons said. “I am proud to partner with Sen. Hatch on the Patrick T. Carothers U.S. Marshals Service Hiring Improvement Act of 2017, which would both increase the efficiency of the USMS’s hiring process and enhance the continued development of the diverse, multi-skilled workforce needed to carry out the agency’s important responsibilities.”

“We need to give the US Marshals Service all the tools necessary to do their job efficiently,” Senator Hatch said. “The lack of authority to hire excepted service is hurting the Marshals Service as they struggle to replace deputies leaving or retiring with qualified personnel. This bill will provide Marshals with a diverse recruiting pool of specialized and skilled applicants in a way that is more efficient and less costly than having to conduct a giant 30,000 plus-person vetting exercise every several years. It is a bill that can honorably carry the name of Deputy Commander Carothers, who was a selfless leader that sacrificed his life for the safety of others.”

Currently, the US Marshals Service is the only Department of Justice law enforcement component with criminal investigation responsibilities that does not have entry-level excepted service appointment authority.

A letter of support from the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association can be found here.

Patrick T. Carothers’ Officer Down Memorial Page can be found here.

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Tillis, Coons kick off Senate Human Rights Caucus for the 115th Congress

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, May 16, 2017, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Chris Coons (D-DE), Co-Chairs of the Senate Human Rights Caucus, launched the Senate Human Right Caucus for the 115th Congress. The opening reception for the Caucus launch featured a keynote address by Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Senate Human Rights Caucus is a bipartisan effort led by Senator Coons and Senator Tillis to highlight the importance of human rights in U.S. foreign policy.  The mission of the Caucus is to defend and advocate internationally recognized human rights norms around the world and contribute to global leadership in promoting and protecting human rights.

“Congress has a proud history of promoting fundamental freedoms and serving as a voice for those who have been silenced. That is why we continue to write and pass legislation that supports the right of everyone around the world to enjoy the same freedoms that we often take for granted,” said Senator Coons. “Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois and I formed the Human Rights Caucus in 2014 to build support for efforts in Congress to protect fundamental human rights and to create a platform to highlight human rights issues. I am thrilled that Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina will be joining me as co-chair for the 115th Congress.”

“I am honored to join Senator Chris Coons as co-chair of the Human Rights Caucus for the 115th Congress,” said Senator Tillis. “It is more important than ever that Congress defend internationally recognized human rights, and I look forward to ensure the United States continues to be a leader in promoting and protecting fundamental freedoms.” 

BACKGROUND:

Launched in 2014 by Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and former Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), the U.S. Senate Human Rights Caucus follows the legacy of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, formerly known as the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, in its efforts to shed light on global human rights issues.  By holding briefings and other events, the Caucus is able to respond quickly to crises around the world with timely information and details while also bringing Congressional-level attention to human rights issues. The Senate Human Rights Caucus holds staff-level briefings on key topics as well as Member-level events to highlight human rights issues.  The Caucus also works in partnership with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on initiatives to maximize the impact of our efforts to highlight human rights issues globally.

Previously, the Senate Human Rights Caucus has hosted events with expert panels on the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities at the hands of ISIS, the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, the global refugee crisis and refugee protection, and media freedom in Russia.

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Senators Lankford, Coons, and Rubio Introduce Resolution Promoting Religious Freedom

WASHINGTON, DC – Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have introduced a bipartisan resolution (S.Res.162) to affirm the commitment of the United States to promote religious freedom and condemn persecution based on faith. This resolution also encourages the President to nominate an Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom within the State Department. 

“The right to practice any faith, or have no faith, is a fundamental human right of all people, no matter where they live on earth. Nations that oppress this basic human right are bound to violate other human rights,” said Lankford. “It is important that America stands up for religious freedom, and unequivocally denounces anti-religious violence, oppression, and genocide around the world. That’s what this resolution calls for.”

“The right to practice your specific faith or not practice at all is a fundamental American value, but it’s also a right that people all around the world deserve, too,” said Coons. “In too many other countries, religious minorities are unfairly targeted and even persecuted for their beliefs, and I am pleased to introduce this resolution with my colleagues to promote religious freedom around the world.”

“Religious freedom is a fundamental human right that is under assault across the globe,” said Rubio. “Churches and other houses of worship are being bombed and shuttered, pastors are being imprisoned, and people of faith are being intimidated, harassed and worse. Supporting religious freedom must be a core component of America’s foreign policy, and I’m proud to stand with my colleagues in introducing this resolution.”

This resolution comes two weeks after the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) issued its 2017 Annual Report showing that the state of affairs for international religious freedom is worsening around the world. The independent report listed that numerous countries, including North Korea, China, Syria, Vietnam, Iran, and for the first-time, Russia, engage in severe religious freedom violations that are systematic, ongoing, and egregious. According to an April Pew Research Center Study, government restrictions on religion are increasing, and the two geographic regions with the highest government restrictions continue to be the Middle East-North Africa and the Asia-Pacific.

In December 2016, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, a bill authored by Senator Rubio and co-sponsored by Lankford, to strengthen the US’ effort to combat persecution of religious minorities. 

Yesterday, Lankford spoke about this topic at the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians in Washington, DC.

Excerpts from the resolution:

Whereas the United States Congress has a proud history of promoting internationally recognized human rights; Whereas religious freedom is a fundamental human right of all people;

Whereas the free exercise of religion must stand for the right to practice any faith or to choose no faith at all;

Whereas every individual’s rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion is guaranteed under the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted at Paris December 10, 1948, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted at New York December 16, 1966, which recognize, ‘‘Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.’’;

Whereas Congress has recognized that Christians, Yezidis, Shi’a, Turkmen, Shabak, Sabean-Mandeans, Kaka’i, and other religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria have faced genocide and other crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and that ISIL seeks to eradicate the communities of these minorities;

Whereas the absence of fundamental human rights, including religious freedom, contributes to persecution of minorities, religious extremism, terrorism, and instability;

Whereas there is greater peace, political and social stability, economic development, democratization, and women’s empowerment when human rights, including religious freedom, are protected and advanced; and

Now, therefore, be it resolved, That the Senate (1) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to promoting religious freedom as a fundamental human right and calls on the President and the Secretary of State, in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–292), as amended by the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (Public Law 114–281), to strengthen United States foreign policy on behalf of individuals persecuted in foreign countries on account of religion; (2) calls on the President, the Secretary of State, and the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom to develop an action plan on  international religious freedom and to integrate that plan into United States diplomatic, development, and national security strategies; (3) in accordance with section 106 of the International Religious Freedom Act, calls on the President, in collaboration with the Secretary of State, the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, to develop a strategic plan to direct grants funded by the United States Government towards civil society that are implementing innovated programs in key countries to train and work with local religious leaders of all religious communities, including minorities, on the importance of pluralistic societies, rights guaranteed under international law, and reporting mechanisms available to them within international institutions; (4) urges the Secretary of State to implement the requirements of section 103 of the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act and develop a training curriculum for all American diplomats in international religious freedom policy; (5) urges the President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and other relevant agencies to develop a comprehensive response to protect the victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes and to provide humanitarian, stabilization and recovery assistance to all individuals from religious and ethnic groups so effected in Iraq and Syria; (6) calls on the President and the Secretary of State to reestablish the Religion and Foreign Policy Working Group within the Department of State’s Federal Advisory Committee established by the previous administration, bringing together experts from government, universities, religious and other nongovernmental organizations to develop an effective multiyear plan to address religious persecution globally and protect and promote international religious freedom; and calls on the President, the Secretary of State and the United States Trade Representative to ensure that trade negotiations include religious freedom conditions as mandated by the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015.

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Senator Coons’ statement on Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo

WILMINGTON, Del. – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement in response to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I am saddened to learn that an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed three people. In December 2014, at the height of the Ebola epidemic, I traveled to Liberia and witnessed the suffering caused by this disease firsthand. I am hopeful that Congolese officials, who have experience dealing with previous outbreaks, will work quickly to prevent the spread of this disease. This outbreak underscores the need for Congress to make long-term, sustainable investments in medical research and the development of new treatments and cures. As a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds foreign assistance, I will fight against any proposed cuts to our global health contributions. Investments like these help keep Americans at home and abroad safe. They ensure that people affected by diseases like Ebola have access to life-saving health services that prevent the disease from spreading.”

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[VIDEO] Senator Coons speech honors law enforcement during Police Week

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), co-chair of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus, today spoke on the Senate floor along with Caucus co-chair U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) to recognize the men and women of law enforcement as part of National Police Week.

Full audio and video available here.

Senator Coons’ remarks, as delivered, are below:

I want to thank my colleague from the state of Missouri. Having the opportunity to work with Senator Blunt, my co-chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus, has been a terrific experience and an opportunity over several years and several Congresses now for more than a dozen conversations where we invite law enforcement leaders from around the country to talk about partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement—intelligence sharing, equipment issues, policy, and operational issues that allow us to provide needed support for the men and women of law enforcement. 

It’s my honor to join with several of my colleagues today to recognize the men and women of law enforcement as part of National Police Week. Together, we offer our gratitude, our thanks, and our support to the men and women of law enforcement, their families, and their communities.

It is only May, yet Delaware has already been reminded of the tremendous risks taken and great sacrifices made by law enforcement officers and their families.

In February of this year, Lieutenant Steven Floyd of the Delaware Department of Correction was killed on the job in a prison riot in Smyrna at the Delaware Correctional Center. He was a 16-year veteran of the Department and left behind his wife of 28 years, Saundra; his children, Candyss, Steven Jr., and Chyvante; and two grandsons.

Just last month, Corporal Stephen [Steve] J. Ballard of the Delaware State Police was senselessly gunned down investigating a suspicious vehicle. Corporal Ballard had served with the Delaware State Police for eight and a half years. He left behind his wife, Louise, and his daughter, Abigail.

Delawareans still grieve for the loss of both of these men in the line of duty. As we recognize the entire law enforcement community from across our country during National Police Week, we should honor their sacrifice by serving them as well as they serve us. This week, and every week, we must do everything we can to honor our obligations to fallen heroes and their families.

In the wake of these losses in Delaware, I’m committed to continuing to work with my colleagues across the aisle and across the country, like Senators Klobuchar and Cornyn and Senator Blunt, to make sure our officers have every resources they deserve to do their jobs and come home safely at the end of every shift.

That means continuing to champion programs like the bulletproof vest partnership, which literally saves officer lives. Delaware knows the importance of this long-running program all too well: two of our Delaware Capital Police officers who were shot in the line of duty survived due to bulletproof vests provided through this vital federal-state partnership.

I will also continue to work in the Senate with colleagues to reform the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program to make sure the families of officers who lose their lives or are permanently disabled in the line of duty receive the benefits they deserve. Chairman Grassley, who just joined us on the floor, is one of the lead sponsors on this bill along with Senators Hatch, Gillibrand, and Klobuchar that would make important steps in these reforms. That bill is one step away from passing the Senate, and could head to the House of Representatives as early today.

Of course, M. President, our commitment to serving the men and women of law enforcement extends beyond the patrol car and the station. Building and maintaining trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve is essential to preventing and reducing crime, and to keeping officers safe.

That’s why Senator Blunt and I have both taken steps to encourage the strategy of community policing that helps officers do their jobs more effectively in partnerships with local communities. We’ve also continued to support local officials working to bring federal resources, expertise, and convening power to help strengthen the bonds between police and the communities they serve.

In light of all of these efforts, we cannot let partisan politics and ideology in this chamber prevent us from doing our jobs in support of law enforcement. We will have failed those who serve us if we do so. We have to move forward in a bipartisan way to improve and invest in officer safety.

That’s why I’m so proud to stand with my colleague and partner from Missouri as co-chairs of the Law Enforcement Caucus. The mission of this bipartisan group of Senators is simple: bring law enforcement, community leaders, issue experts, and – perhaps most importantly – Republicans and Democrats together to share ideas and generate bipartisan solutions to challenges facing state and local law enforcement. We’ve hosted more than a dozen briefings and events. Now, more than ever, Senator Blunt and I are committed to this mission. 

M. President, we’re on this floor today to honor women and men like Corporal Ballard and Lieutenant Floyd form Delaware, who put on the uniform and badge every day, not knowing whether they’ll come home at the end of their shift. We’re here today for their families, whose sacrifice and burden is heavy.

When I attended Corporal Ballard’s memorial service earlier this month, the most powerful speaker was his widow, Louise. She stood up, stood tall, and, with a smile on her face, thanked the 3,000 officers from 36 states across the country who’d come to pay their respects. Louise Ballard said, “This is my Steven’s victory, when I get to see men and women from all over our country who every single day get up and do a job. A job that’s hard, a job that requires heart.” 

Few jobs, M. President, are as hard or require as much heart as patrolling our streets and protecting our communities. This week we honor the service and sacrifice of those law enforcement officers whose names have been added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this year, and the hundreds of thousands, even millions, of others who even today, even tonight, will be on patrol keeping our communities and our families safe.

Thank you, M. President. 

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[AUDIO] ICYMI: Sen. Coons on Washington Post podcast: ‘I prayed for President Trump. I think all of us should pray.’

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, yesterday joined Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart’s weekly podcast, “Cape Up,” to discuss the Senator’s thoughts on what he hopes to see from the FBI and the Department of Justice, the importance of the ongoing investigation into potential ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, and the role of faith and prayer in the Senator’s life. 

Click here to read Capehart’s writeup of the interview and to listen to their conversation in full.

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VIDEO: Sen Coons: “The President apparently didn’t realize the damage that he might be doing, or, if he knew about it, didn’t care.”

Senator Coons on the Trump Administration’s spokespeople, top officials: “We’ve seen too many senior leaders in this Administration say things that just weren’t true.”

Senator Coons: “I do think we need a special counsel. I think it’s important that we be reassured that the FBI investigation-that is a counterintelligence investigation-is continuing and is independent and is on a strong footing.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees, joined MSNBC’s Hallie Jackson to discuss the Washington Post’s report that President Trump revealed classified information to Russian officials in the Oval Office yesterday.

Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7R5EWxvGAk&feature=youtu.be

Excerpts from the interview:

This is very troubling. It suggests, if true, that the President just doesn’t appreciate how risky, how dangerous it is to share classified information with one of our main adversaries, Russia, with their foreign minister and with their ambassador, specifically about a highly sensitive, highly classified source that has given us critical insights into ISIS, into their planning of potential future attacks against the United States. The story as reported suggests that the information that was shared by the President would allow the Russians, and their allies, the Assad regime in Syria and Iran to perhaps shut down this critical intelligence stream to the United States. That could put us at risk.

It has been publicly reported there were transcripts made of this specific meeting and then efforts made to clean up after the meeting. I think that should be reviewed promptly by the appropriate committees here in the Senate. 

A key part of our counterterrorism intelligence network is information that’s shared with us by partners, by allies, and in some cases even by adversaries. This is a vital piece of our national security infrastructure, and this incident just suggests that our President is probably troublingly unfamiliar with exactly what steps need to be taken to protect these vital threads of information. 

In [McMaster’s] statement he very carefully parsed what was and wasn’t said in the White House meeting, and I think it will undermine his credibility here on the Hill if it turns out that the initial reporting by the Washington Post, now confirmed by several other leading news sources, is in fact true.

The President apparently didn’t realize the damage that he might be doing, or, if he knew about it, didn’t care about the damage he might be doing to an absolutely vital ally who has shared critically sensitive intelligence with us. 

We’ve seen too many senior leaders in this Administration say things that just weren’t true.

I do think we need a special counsel. I think it’s important that we be reassured that the FBI investigation that is a counterintelligence investigation is continuing and is independent and is on a strong footing. 

The President could take an important step towards restoring confidence in the rule of law and the FBI if he names someone who is not an elected politician and is not a partisan, someone with long, significant experience in federal prosecution. That’s essential. I also think it’s important that we have a bipartisan vote to support this FBI director. 

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[AUDIO] Senator Coons urges State Department to send Special Envoy to South Sudan

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discussed war and famine in South Sudan at an event at the U.S. Institute of Peace last week. The Senator’s discussion with Ambassador Princeton Lyman, Senior Advisor to the U.S. Institute of Peace and former Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, was featured on NPR. 

Full audio available here.

Transcript of NPR feature below:

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wants to streamline the State Department, including getting rid of many special envoys, diplomats who are focused on a specific issue or conflict. But activists say there is one crisis that really needs a high-level diplomat and soon. South Sudan is in the midst of a civil war, and now parts of the country are facing famine. NPR’s Michele Kelemen reports.

MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: Recently back from a trip to South Sudan, Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, is trying to raise the alarms. He says he warned the country’s president Salva Kiir to stop using hunger as a weapon of war and told him South Sudan could lose U.S. financial support. The South Sudanese leader, Coon says, didn’t believe him.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

CHRIS COONS: He then asserted that President Trump would be his best friend and that he would now find a close ally and a supporter in our new president. And I, again, fairly pointedly suggested to him that President Trump may not know of South Sudan, may not know of President Kiir and may have other priorities.

KELEMEN: Coons, who was speaking at the U.S. Institute of Peace, is a proponent of U.S. foreign assistance. But he says leaders in South Sudan can’t simply count on unending support from Washington.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

COONS: That is the, I think, potential tragedy here. A slow rolling tragedy is the mistaken perception of the president of a young nation that he’s not responsible for finding a path towards peace, towards opening an effective national dialogue and towards welcoming the opposition into a process that will actually reconcile the country. 

KELEMEN: The United States played a key diplomatic role in South Sudan’s independence. And Senator Coons says the Trump administration should name a new envoy to try to help end the civil war and the resulting famine. The Trump administration is trying to cut back the number of special envoys, but a former one, Princeton Lyman, says this conflict needs one.

PRINCETON LYMAN: There are an awful lot of special envoys that have been named over the years. And many of them are subject matter, and they could be folded into the regular bureaucracy. But when you have a complicated conflict situation that covers a lot of different countries and requires virtually nonstop attention, that’s where you use a special envoy.

KELEMEN: Lyman has also been proposing something more dramatic, an international trusteeship with the African Union taking control of South Sudan. He says that’s one option since peace talks have failed.

LYMAN: There is a recognition that this process is not working, but there is a reluctance, too, within Africa to the idea that you would re – take back sovereignty from an African country. But I think the peace process isn’t working and something along those lines, if not formally, that is still going to be necessary.

KELEMEN: So far, it’s just an idea being discussed in academic circles. But the former U.S. envoy believes it’s gaining traction. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, the State Department.

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