2016 Presidential Election Date:November 8, 2016

Candidates Winner:Donald Trump (R) Hillary Clinton (D) •Jill Stein (G) •Gary Johnson (L) •Vice presidential candidates

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This page was current as of the 2016 election.

See what the2016 candidates and their respective party platforms said about national security below.

Interested in reading more about the 2016 candidates' stances on issues related to national security?
Ballotpedia also covered what the candidates said aboutforeign affairs,the Iran nuclear deal,ISIS and terrorism, andSyrian refugees.

Democratic ticket

Hillary Clinton

• On September 27, 2016,The Washington Free Beacon published audio ofHillary Clinton discussing the U.S. nuclear weapons program during a private fundraiser in February, in which she said she would be “inclined” to cancel an upgrade of the Long Range Stand-Off missile program. “The last thing we need are sophisticated cruise missiles that are nuclear armed,” she said.^[1]

• On September 7, 2016, Clinton participated in a forum hosted by Matt Lauer on NBC News focused on national security and foreign policy. She made the following comments about military interventions in the Middle East and theIran nuclear agreement:^[2]
  • On supporting military action in Iraq, Clinton said, “Look, I think that the decision to go to war in Iraq was a mistake. And I have said that my voting to give President Bush that authority was, from my perspective, my mistake. I also believe that it is imperative that we learn from the mistakes, like after- action reports are supposed to do, and so we must learn what led us down that path so that it never happens again. I think I’m in the best possible position to be able to understand that and prevent it.”
  • Discussing support for military action in Libya, Clinton said, “With respect to Libya, again, there’s no difference between my opponent and myself. He’s on record extensively supporting intervention in Libya, when Gadhafi was threatening to massacre his population. I put together a coalition that included NATO, included the Arab League, and we were able to save lives. We did not lose a single American in that action. And I think taking that action was the right decision. Not taking it, and permitting there to be an ongoing civil war in Libya, would have been as dangerous and threatening as what we are now seeing in Syria.”
  • Asked whether Iran should be trusted, Clinton said, “On the nuclear issue, no. I think we have enough insight into what they’re doing to be able to say we have to distrust but verify. What I am focused on is all the other malicious activities of the Iranians — ballistic missiles, support for terrorists, being involved in Syria, Yemen, and other places, supporting Hezbollah, Hamas.”

• On July 25, 2016, during a speech at the V.F.W. Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, Clinton contrasted her approach to national security toDonald Trump’s without actually naming him. She said, “I believe in standing with our allies. Generations of American troops fought and died to secure those bonds. They knew we were safer with more friends and partners. … You will never hear me say I will only listen to myself on national security. … One thing you will never hear from me: praise for dictators and strongmen who have no love for America.” Clinton also said that she would never “order troops to commit war crimes,” as Trump suggested he would by reinstituting waterboarding and targeting families of suspected terrorists.^[3]
• Read more of Hillary Clinton's public statements on national security.

Tim Kaine

• On September 4, 2016,Tim Kaine discussed national security and cybersecurity on ABC's "This Week." He told Martha Raddatz, "And talk about national security -- [Trump] has openly encouraged Russia to engage in cyber hacking to try to find more e-mails or materials, and we know that this cyber attack on the DNC was likely done by Russia. A president was impeached and had to resign over an attack on the DNC during a presidential election in 1972. This is serious business. So contrast the Hillary situation, where the FBI said there’s no need for legal proceedings, with an attack that is being encouraged by Donald Trump on the DNC by Russia, similar to what led to resignation of a president 30 years ago."^[6]
• In September 2013, Kaine voted to authorize military force in Syria. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved an authorization by a 10-7 vote.^[7]
• Kaine supported theIran nuclear agreement and the bipartisan legislation that allowed Congress to review and vote on the deal.^[8][9]
• Read more of Tim Kaine's public statements on 2016 campaign issues.

Republican ticket

Donald Trump

• Trump commented on a series of terror attacks that took place in New York, New Jersey, and Minnesota on September 17, 2016. In an interview on "Fox and Friends," Trump said, “I should be a newscaster because I called it before the news.” As reports of the explosion in New York were still coming in, Trump stated at a campaign rally on the night of September 17, “Just before I got off the plane, a bomb went off in New York and nobody knows exactly what's going on.”^[10] In the "Fox and Friends" interview, Trump suggested that there could be more attacks in the future: “This is something that will happen, perhaps, more and more all over the country. Because we’ve been weak. Our country’s been weak. We’re letting people in by the thousands and tens of thousands. … We’re allowing these people to come into our country and destroy our country, and make it unsafe for people. We don’t want to do any profiling. If somebody looks like he’s got a massive bomb on his back, we won’t go up to that person ... because if he looks like he comes from that part of the world, we’re not allowed to profile. Give me a break.”^[11]

• On August 15, 2016,Donald Trump delivered a speech on national policy inOhio where he introduced the “three pillars” of his antiterrorism platform.^[12][13]
  • Trump said that he would introduce a new ideological screening test for immigrants similar to what was in place during the Cold War. “The time is overdue to develop a new screening test for the threats we face today. I call it extreme, extreme vetting. Our country has enough problems. We don’t need more,” he said. Trump continued, “In addition to screening out all members or sympathizers of terrorist groups, we must also screen out any who have hostile attitudes toward our country or its principles ― or who believe that Sharia law should supplant American law.”
  • He reiterated his call for a temporary ban on “immigration from some of the most dangerous and volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism.”
  • Trump also emphasized the importance of alliances with "moderate Muslim reformers in the Middle East.” He said that he would seek to hold an international conference with the leaders of Jordan, Egypt, Israel, and “all others who recognize this ideology of death that must be extinguished.” Trump also noted that there was an opportunity for improved relations with Russia, saying, “I also believe that we could find common ground with Russia in the fight against ISIS. They too have much at stake in the outcome in Syria, and have had their own battles with Islamic terrorism.”

• At a rally in Florida on August 10, 2016, Trump called President Obama the “founder of ISIS” and Hillary Clinton the “co-founder.” Trump said, “ISIS is honoring President Obama. He is the founder of ISIS. He founded ISIS. And, I would say the co-founder would be crooked Hillary Clinton. … He was the founder of ISIS, absolutely. The way he removed our troops -- you shouldn't have gone in. I was against the war in Iraq. Totally against it.”^[14]
  • Conservative radio hostHugh Hewitt called on Trump to clarify the remarks the following day. Hewitt said, “You meant that he [Obama] created the vacuum, he lost the peace.” Trump said, “No, I meant he’s the founder of ISIS. I do. He was the most valuable player. I give him the most valuable player award. I give her, too, by the way, Hillary Clinton.” On August 12, 2016, Trump tweeted that he was being sarcastic.^[15][16]

• Fifty Republican senior national security officials releaseda joint statement on August 8, 2016, charging thatDonald Trump “fundamentally...lacks the character, values, and experience” to be commander-in-chief. They continued, “He is unable or unwilling to separate truth from falsehood. He does not encourage conflicting views. He lacks self-control and acts impetuously. He cannot tolerate personal criticism. He has alarmed our closest allies with his erratic behavior.” While they also expressed reservations withHillary Clinton, they concluded that Trump “is not the answer to America’s daunting challenges and to this crucial election.”^[17]

• On August 2, 2016, Donald Trump promised to defeat theIslamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by bombing them, if elected. He said, "We have no choice but to bomb them. They have taken over Libya. That was another one ofHillary Clinton's duties — they have taken over Libya. No good. We have to bomb them. … I would do what you have to do to get rid of ISIS. It's a horrific problem. ... We should have never been there in the first place. I was opposed to going into Iraq.”^[18]

• During a campaign rally in North Carolina on July 5, 2016, Donald Trump warned that Americans “should be worried about a continuation of Obama-era policies, particularly U.S. foreign policy in the wake of the Iraq war, which he said he opposed,” according toThe Wall Street Journal. Trump then said, “Saddam Hussein was a bad guy, right? He was a bad guy, a really bad guy. But you know what he did well? He killed terrorists. He did that so good. They didn’t read them the rights, they didn’t talk. They were a terrorist? It was over. Today, Iraq is Harvard for terrorism. You want to be a terrorist, you go to Iraq.”^[19]

• Donald Trump released a statement regarding the terrorist attack at an airport in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 28, 2016, that left at least 36 people dead and injured 147 people. He said, “Our prayers are with the families of those killed and injured in Istanbul. The whole world is stunned and horrified. The terrorist threat has never been greater. Our enemies are brutal and ruthless and will do anything to murder those who do not bend to their will. We must take steps now to protect America from terrorists, and do everything in our power to improve our security to keep America safe.”^[20]

• During a campaign event in St. Clairsville, Ohio,Trump expressed his support for waterboarding terrorists after the news of the terrorist attack in Istanbul, Turkey, broke late on June 28, 2016. Trump said, “We can’t do waterboarding, but they can do chopping off heads, drowning people in steel cages, they can do whatever they want to do. You know, you have to fight fire with fire. I like it a lot. I don’t think it’s tough enough.”^[21]

• After initially "calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on," Donald Trump’s “spokeswoman says he's no longer seeking the ban at all,” according toThe Associated Press. When asked to clarify Trump’s policy, Trump’s spokeswomanHope Hicks said, "Mr. Trump stated a position consistent with his speech two weeks ago.” On June 27, 2016, Hicks added in an email that Trump “has been very clear” about his policy and that the press has "tried to cause confusion." In the speech Hick’s referenced, Trump said, "When I'm elected, I will suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats."^[22]

• In an interview on April 11, 2016, Donald Trump called CIA DirectorJohn Brennan's refusal to waterboard “ridiculous.” He said, “We’re playing on different fields, and we have a huge problem with ISIS, which we can’t beat. And the reason we can’t beat them is because we can’t use strong tactics, whether it’s this or other thing. So I think his comments are ridiculous. Can you imagine these ISIS people sitting around, eating and talking about this country won’t allow waterboarding and they just chopped off 50 heads?”^[23]

• In a nine-minute video released by the Islamic State to celebrate the Brussels terrorist attacks on March 24, 2016, comments Trump made in a phone interview about the city were featured. “Brussels was one of the great cities — one of the most beautiful cities of the world 20 years ago — and safe. And now it’s a horror show — an absolute horror show,” Trump says.^[24]

• When asked if he would be willing to use tactical nuclear weapons against ISIS, Trump said, “I'm never going to rule anything out—I wouldn't want to say. Even if I wasn't, I wouldn't want to tell you that because at a minimum, I want them to think maybe we would use them.”^[25]

• Donald Trump said on March 22, 2016, in the wake of the Brussels terrorist attacks, that Brussels had changed drastically from when he visited the city years ago. “Anybody that goes there will tell you it's like an armed camp,” he said. Trump also warned that many people in the U.S. “have the same feelings and the same feeling of hate as the people in Brussels” and argued that America’s borders should be strengthened and more care taken with who is allowed in.^[26]

• On February 19, 2016, Trump called for his supporters to boycott Apple until it assists the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the investigation into the San Bernardino shooters.^[27]

• During a campaign stop inSouth Carolina on February 17, 2016,Donald Trump expressed support for enhanced interrogation techniques like waterboarding. He said, “Don’t tell me it doesn’t work. Torture works, OK folks? I think we should go much stronger than waterboarding, that’s the way I feel. They’re chopping off heads, believe me, we should go much stronger.”^[28]

• At theninth Republican presidential primary debate on February 13, 2016, Trump talked about the war in Iraq: “Obviously, the war in Iraq was a big, fat mistake. All right? Now, you can take it any way you want, and it took -- it tookJeb Bush, if you remember at the beginning of his announcement, when he announced for president, it took him five days. He went back, it was a mistake, it wasn't a mistake. It took him five days before his people told him what to say, and he ultimately said, ‘it was a mistake.’ The war in Iraq, we spent $2 trillion, thousands of lives, we don't even have it. Iran has taken over Iraq with the second-largest oil reserves in the world. Obviously, it was a mistake.George Bush made a mistake. We can make mistakes. But that one was a beauty. We should have never been in Iraq. We have destabilized the Middle East.”^[29]

• During theninth Republican presidential primary debate on February 13, 2016, Trump discussed the three questions that he would ask his national security experts on his first day in office: “What we want to do, when we want to do it, and how hard do we want to hit? Because we are going to have to hit very, very hard to knock out ISIS. We're going to also have to learn who our allies are. We have allies, so-called allies, we're spending billions and billions of dollars supporting people -- we have no idea who they are in Syria. Do we want to stay that route, or do we want to go and make something with Russia? I hate to say Iran, but with Russia, because we -- and the Iran deal is one of the worst deals I have ever seen negotiated in my entire life. It's a disgrace that this country negotiated that deal. But very important… Not only a disgrace, it's a disgrace and an embarrassment. But very important, who are we fighting with? Who are we fighting for? What are we doing? We have to rebuild our country. But we have to -- I'm the only one on this stage that said, ‘Do not go into Iraq. Do not attack Iraq.’ Nobody else on this stage said that. And I said it loud and strong. And I was in the private sector. I wasn't a politician, fortunately. But I said it, and I said it loud and clear, ‘You'll destabilize the Middle East.’ That's exactly what happened. I also said, by the way, four years ago, three years ago, attack the oil, take the wealth away, attack the oil and keep the oil. They didn't listen. They just started that a few months ago.”^[30]

• During an interview with Fox News on February 9, 2016, Trump criticized SenatorJohn McCain’s handling of the problems with theDepartment of Veterans Affairs and his stance on waterboarding. He said, "John McCain is a nice man. I like John McCain. But he has not been effective in taking care of the Veterans Administration. The veterans are absolutely in a bad way, they're being treated worse in many cases than illegal immigrants that come over our borders.” On the issue of waterboarding, which McCain opposes and has criticized some of the presidential candidates for stating that they would utilize the technique, Trump said, "As far as John McCain is concerned, when you say we can't waterboard but they can chop off the heads of Christians and they can chop off the heads of everybody in the Middle East as far as they want, I think that's pretty bad. So I said I'm totally in favor of waterboarding. Waterboarding is peanuts compared to chopping off heads."^[31]

• At theeighth Republican presidential primary debate on February 6, 2016, Trump said, as president, he would bring back waterboarding: "Well, I'll tell you what. In the Middle East, we have people chopping the heads off Christians, we have people chopping the heads off many other people. We have things that we have never seen before -- as a group, we have never seen before, what's happening right now. The medieval times -- I mean, we studied medieval times -- not since medieval times have people seen what's going on. I would bring back waterboarding and I'd bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding."^[32]

• On February 8, 2016, Sen.John McCain (R-Ariz.) took issue with Trump's support waterboarding. "It is important to remember the facts: that these forms of torture not only failed their purpose to secure actionable intelligence to prevent further attacks on the U.S. and our allies, but compromised our values, stained our national honor and did little practical good," McCain, who chairs theArmed Services Committee, said. McCain, who was tortured while held in Vietnam as a prisoner of war, has been a vocal opponent of waterboarding and suggested that the Republican candidates should remember the fallout from the Bush administration's Abu Ghraib scandal, when human rights groups found that U.S. soldiers were abusing and torturing detainees at the Iraqi prison.^[33]

• On CNN'sNew Day on December 8, 2015, Trump said, unless his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country was adopted, "You're going to have many more World Trade Centers if you don't solve it -- many, many more and probably beyond the World Trade Center. They want our buildings to come down; they want our cities to be crushed. They are living within our country. And many of them want to come from outside our country." When asked how long he would keep the ban on allowing Muslims into the country, Trump said, "It's until the country's representatives can figure out what's going on.”^[34]

• Trump called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States," theAssociated Press reported December 7, 2015. "The proposed ban would apply to immigrants and visitors alike, a sweeping prohibition affecting all adherents of Islam who want to come to the U.S. According to theAP, Trump's campaign said in a statement the ban should be in place "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on." The statement continued, "Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life." The idea faced an immediate challenge to its legality and feasibility from experts was swiftly condemned by his rival GOP candidates for president and other Republicans, the article said.^[35]

• On December 6, 2015, Trump said the desire to be “politically correct” was “part of the problem” in defeating terrorism in the U.S. He added that he supported profiling Muslims, saying, “If you have people coming out of mosques with hatred and with death in their eyes and on their minds, we’re going to have to do something.” Trump also pointed to his personal friendships with Muslims to defend his policy positions. “I'm not playing on fears. I don't want to play on fears. I understand the whole world. I have Muslim friends who are great people. And by the way, they tell me, 'there's a big problem.' I'm not playing on fears. I'm playing on common sense."^[36][37]

• He also noted that he supported profiling Muslims, saying, “If you have people coming out of mosques with hatred and with death in their eyes and on their minds, we’re going to have to do something.” Trump pointed to his personal friendships with Muslims to defend his policy positions. “I'm not playing on fears. I don't want to play on fears. I understand the whole world. I have Muslim friends who are great people. And by the way, they tell me, 'there's a big problem.' I'm not playing on fears. I'm playing on common sense." The desire to be “politically correct” is “part of the problem,” Trump warned.^[38][39]

• On December 3, 2015, Trump said theSan Bernardino, Calif., mass shooting was likely “another Islamic disaster.” He continued, “No matter where you look, it's the same thing. Then when I say we have to practice vigilance and we have to look at people — and whether you're looking at mosques or not — we have to be smart. They want to be so politically correct, but here's another case where it's Islamic terrorism." When asked what “looking at mosques” would entail, Trump said, “You have to be vigilant. You have to look. I mean, there's something wrong — something going on, all right?"^[40]

• In an interview on ABC News on November 22, 2015, Trump said he supported reinstating waterboarding. “I would bring it back, yes. I would bring it back. I think waterboarding is peanuts compared to what they’d do to us, what they’re doing to us, what they did to James Foley when they chopped off his head. That’s a whole different level and I would absolutely bring back interrogation and strong interrogation,” he said.^[41]

• Trump took to Twitter November 20, 2015, where he said he had not proposed setting up a database for registering Muslims in the United States. He stressed the idea was brought up by a NBC News reporter interviewing him. The interview opened up Trump to criticism fromHillary Clinton who denounced his comments calling them "shocking." Some of Trump's Republican opponents also weighed in on November 20, 2015.Jeb Bush called the idea "abhorrent" andTed Cruz said a registry goes against the notion of religious liberty.Bernie Sanders also called Trump's comments "outrageous and bigoted"^[42]

  I didn't suggest a database-a reporter did. We must defeat Islamic terrorism & have surveillance, including a watch list, to protect America

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)November 20, 2015

• In the wake of the terrorist attack in Paris, November 13, 2015, Trump told NBC News on November 19, 2015, that he “would certainly implement” a database registering Muslims in the United States. “It’s all about management. Our country has no management,” Trump said, adding that Muslims would be legally obligated to sign up. When asked if such a database would be akin to the registration of Jews in Nazi Germany, Trump repeated four times, “You tell me.”^[43]

• In an October 25, 2015, interview with CNN, Trump said that Iraq and Libya would be more stable today if Saddam Hussein and Moammar Gadhafi had not been removed from power. He said, "I mean, look at Libya. Look at Iraq. Iraq used to be no terrorists. He [Hussein] would kill the terrorists immediately, which is like now it's the Harvard of terrorism. If you look at Iraq from years ago, I'm not saying he was a nice guy, he was a horrible guy, but it was a lot better than it is right now. Right now, Iraq is a training ground for terrorists. Right now Libya, nobody even knows Libya, frankly there is no Iraq and there is no Libya. It's all broken up. They have no control. Nobody knows what's going on."^[44]

• During a campaign event in South Carolina on October 19, 2015, Trump attempted to clarify a statement he had made that called the Bush administration’s decision to send troops into Afghanistan after 9/11 a “terrible mistake.” He explained that he was against the Iraq War and believed Afghanistan should have been the focus.^[45]

• Trump expressed support for Russia’s military intervention in Syria on October 4, 2015. "I like that Putin is bombing the hell out of ISIS, and it's going to be ISIS. I'll tell you why — Putin has to get rid of ISIS because Putin doesn't want ISIS coming into Russia," said Trump. He added that that did not mean he trusted Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I'm not justifying Putin, but you watch — he'll get bogged down there. He'll be there, he'll spend a fortune, he'll be begging to get out,” he said.^[46]

• On October 3, 2015, Trump questioned why “young” and “strong” male Syrian refugees weren’t fighting for Syria. He said accepting a large number of Syrian refugees “could be one of the greatest military coups of all time,” likening it to “a Trojan horse.”^[47]

• Trump expressed support for Russia’s military intervention in Syria. "I like that Putin is bombing the hell out of ISIS, and it's going to be ISIS. I'll tell you why — Putin has to get rid of ISIS because Putin doesn't want ISIS coming into Russia," said Trump. He added that that did not mean he trusted Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I'm not justifying Putin, but you watch — he'll get bogged down there. He'll be there, he'll spend a fortune, he'll be begging to get out,” he said.Cite error: Closing</ref> missing for<ref> tag

• In June 2015, Trump stated in an interview withFOX's Bill O'Reilly, "I say that you can defeatISIS by taking their wealth. Take back the oil. Once you go over and take back that oil they have nothing. You bomb the hell out of them and then you encircle it, and then you go in. And you let Mobil go in, and you let our great oil companies go in. Once you take that oil they have nothing left." In this interview, Trump also predicted that he would have "a great relationship with Putin."^[48]

• According to a May 2015 article inThe Daily Signal, Trump suggested theNational Security Agency (NSA) should be allowed to continue its surveillance with "proper oversight." Trump said, "I support legislation which allows the NSA to hold the bulk metadata. For oversight, I propose that a court, which is available any time on any day, is created to issue individual rulings on when this metadata can be accessed."^[49]

• Speaking at theConservative Political Action Conference in February 2015, Trump invoked the approach of historic generals to say the country should be more forceful in its efforts against ISIS. Trump said, "On ISIS, nobody, if I decide to run and win, nobody would be tougher than Donald Trump. I would hit them so hard and so fast that they wouldn't know what happened. I would find a general. Remember the old days of…these great generals? General [Douglas] MacArthur is spinning in his grave when he sees what we did. So you gotta them hard, gotta hit them firm."^[50]

• During an appearance onFox and Friends in April 2013, Trump suggested that the United States should not get involved in the Syrian Civil War because it would mean "funding al Qaeda."^[51]

• In an April 2011 interview withThe Wall Street Journal, Trump declared that he would not intervene in Libya unless he could take the country's oil.^[52]

• Read more of Donald Trump's public statements on national security.

Mike Pence

• In September 2014,Mike Pence "applauded Obama for engaging with allies in an effort to defeat ISIS but added, 'This cannot be one more speech followed by hesitation and indecision. The Bible says, 'If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will know to get ready for battle?'" according toThe Indianapolis Star.^[54]

• While serving in Congress, Pence "was a strong proponent of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq," according toThe Washington Post.^[55]

• In 2011, Pence voted for H.Res.292 - Declaring that the President shall not deploy, establish, or maintain the presence of units and members of the United States Armed Forces on the ground in Libya, and for other purposes.^[56]

• Pence voted for H.R.3162 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001. It became law on October 26, 2001.^[57]

• Pence voted for H.R.3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005. It became law on March 9, 2006.^[58]

• Pence co-sponsored H.J.Res.114 - the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. It became law on October 16, 2002.^[59]
• Read more of Mike Pence's public statements on 2016 campaign issues.

Green candidate

Jill Stein

• While campaigning in Iowa on September 11, 2016,Jill Stein said that she would not have assassinated Osama bin Laden if she were president. “I think assassinations … they’re against international law to start with and to that effect, I think I would not have assassinated Osama bin Laden but would have captured him and brought him to trial," she said.^[60]

• At a town hall event hosted by CNN on August 17, 2016, Stein criticized the approaches of the Bush and Obama administrations in the war on terror: “We have a track record now of fighting terrorism ... This track record is not looking so good. We have killed a million people in Iraq alone. … What do we have to show for this? Failed states, mass refugee migrations and repeated terrorist threats.” Stein also critiqued Clinton’s stances on foreign policy, saying, “The war effort that Hillary has especially been the engine behind ... To my mind, that's just not compatible with what my view of feminism is, that has a responsibility, not just to your own family, but to all families and to the human family.”^[61]

• During a February 5, 2016, interview withPolitical People Blog, Stein addressed defense spending and its impact on the safety of the U.S., saying, "It's very hard for people to listen to a proposal or a plan for reducing the military budget while they feel like their lives are at risk. And currently American fears are being so whipped up into a frenzy by this endless stream of propaganda. So, it's not only the election dialogue and the absolute fear campaigning going on on the part of Republicans, but the Democrats buy into that as well."^[62]

• In January 2015, Stein saidISIS had grown as a result of poor foreign policy choices. She explained, "We need a foreign policy based on international law, human rights, and diplomacy, instead of militarism. Our current foreign policy has been an outright, incredible disaster. Drones and torture have especially been damaging and the past decade of endless war on terror has been an unmitigated disaster which is now blowing back at us in the proliferation of extremist groups. ISIS itself grows directly out of the chaos. We see this in Iraq through ten years of vicious warfare and sectarian conflict that was promoted by our policies in Iraq."^[63]

• In a 2012 interview with Taylor Peck ofiSideWith, Stein criticized sanctions of Iran, saying, "That approach has been extremely unhelpful and we are not using diplomacy. If there are real threats to U.S. security then sanctions are warranted but I don't see that Iran is threatening U.S. security right now. The issue of Iran is that it has the potential to build nuclear weapons, it does not have nuclear weapons right now. There are already illegal nuclear weapons in the region in Israel and Pakistan. We need a comprehensive and evenhanded policy. There are drastic violations of human rights right now amongst both our friends and our enemies. Creating a nuclear free Middle East is the only way we are going to stop the development of nuclear weapons."^[64]
• Read more of Jill Stein's public statements on national security.

Libertarian candidate

Gary Johnson

• In an interview on Fox Business on September 19, 2016, Johnson said he would close the Department of Homeland Security. “I think it’s just another layer of bureaucracy. It’s just spending more money than we have to spend. Look, we should always be looking for ways to make government more efficient. Why is it that government makes the perfect choices and business doesn’t? Well, business doesn’t and they admit it. … It was the merging of 22 separate agencies. I just think it’s corporate reorg gone bad. I would just devolve those agencies back to where they came from in the first place. I think we can all recognize the FBI has been around a long time. They have a great reputation. Going forward, this would be FBI-driven.”^[66]

• Gary Johnson discussed withdrawing from Afghanistan in an interview withThe Los Angeles Times published on August 1, 2016. Johnson said, “Let's get out of Afghanistan now. I supported going into Afghanistan at the beginning. That was going after Al Qaeda, I think that we accomplished those goals after about seven months. We could have … after seven months, we didn't find Osama Bin Laden. But we could have said we're getting out, we've knocked out Al Qaeda, and we're going to come back in if we see that Osama Bin Laden raises his head. The consequences of getting out of Afghanistan tomorrow you could say are gonna be horrible. Well, we could mitigate the horrible circumstances [of] getting out by saying if your life's in danger because you've aligned yourself with the U.S. -- I imagine that might affect a lot of individuals -- we could offer them sanctuary in the U.S. and I don't think that's unprecedented.”^[67]

• Johnson released a statement regarding the terrorist attack at an airport in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 28, 2016, that left at least 36 people dead and injured 147 people. He said, "My thoughts are with the victims of the horrific and cowardly attack in #istanbul, & with our ally Turkey. Violent extremism is pure evil."^[68]

• During an interview withThe Texas Tribune on April 12, 2016, Johnson discussed how he would secure the border to prevent criminals from entering the United States. He said the crime “has to do with drugs. The U.S. is on the verge of having the whole country legalize marijuana. I think California is going to vote to legalize marijuana in November, and then 20 state legislatures will legalize it virtually overnight. This is going to lead to the end of prohibition. This is going to lead to a tremendous reduction in border violence.”^[69]

• In a statement released on November 19, 2015,Johnson said that Sharia ideology should be recognized as antithetical to American values. He said, "It is time that we have an open, honest dialogue about the politics of Sharia law. It is time that we face the reality that, while Islam is a faith that must be granted the same freedoms of religion as all others, Sharia is a political ideology that cannot coexist with the constitutional and basic human rights on which the United States is founded. We must face the fact that ISIS is a murderous, violent movement driven by Sharia ideology, not by the religion of Islam. We need not and should not be Islamophobic, but all who are free and wish to be free should be Shariaphobic."^[70]

• In an interview withReason in November 2015, Johnson criticized drone strikes. He said, "When it comes to drones, I think it makes a bad situation even worse. We end up killing innocents and fueling hatred as opposed to containing it. It just hasn't worked." He also briefly discussed theSyrian refugee crisis, saying, "We need to take our share, and I'm not sure what that share should be. I'd like to come up with a formula based on our coalition partners. I wouldn't say zero, but I don't know if 65,000 puts us in the category of 'our fair share.'"^[70]

• In August 2013, Johnson opposed military intervention in Syria because there was "no clear" American interest in the conflict there. He posted this statement to Facebook: “No one disagrees that the use of chemical weapons in Syria is despicable, and the results tragic. However, those facts alone do not make going to war either justified or even a good idea. And while the Administration can parse words all day long, launching missiles or dropping bombs constitutes going to war. There is no clear U.S. interest in what is, in reality, a civil war on the other side of the globe. Likewise, there is nothing to indicate at this time that intervening in that civil war will benefit anyone -- either here in America or in Syria. The consequences of our military actions in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan should be a lesson to President Obama and others who appear determined to act without any meaningful strategic or national defense justification.”^[71]

• During a Republican presidential primary debate in September 2011, Johnson said he believed that "the biggest threat to our national security is the fact that we're bankrupt." He continued, "I am promising to submit a balanced budget to Congress in the year 2013, and included in that is a 43 percent reduction in military spending. I think it's crazy that we have foreign aid to countries when we're borrowing 43 cents out of every dollar to do that. Military alliances are really key to other countries taking up the slack."^[72]

• On May 27, 2011, Johnson said that the U.S. should no longer be in Afghanistan during an interview on FOX News. "Well, initially, Afghanistan was totally warranted. We were attacked. We attacked back. That's what our military is for. We should remain vigilant to the terrorist threat. But after being in Afghanistan for six months I think we effectively wiped out al Qaeda. And here it is, we are there 10 years later. We're building roads, schools, bridges, highways and hospitals and borrowing 43 cents out of every dollar to do that," Johnson said.^[73]

• Johnson wrote an op-ed inThe Daily Caller on March 23, 2011, to condemn U.S. military intervention in Libya to depose Muammar Gaddafi. Johnson argued that although the "world would be better off without" Gaddafi, the U.S. should not intervene because of the potential human and financial costs. "At the end of the day, what is happening in Libya is a civil war against a clearly bad leader. The world is full of clearly bad and evil leaders, and millions of people being victimized by them. What makes Libya special? Simply enforcing a no-fly zone will cost American taxpayers as much as $300 million a week, and that doesn’t include all those Tomahawk missiles and B-2 round trips. More importantly, those are American crews risking their lives. If there is some compelling reason to be doing what we are doing, tell us what it is. If, on the other hand, we are once again playing cop to the world, we can’t afford it," Johnson wrote.^[74]

• Read more of Gary Johnson's public statements on 2016 campaign issues.

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See also

• Presidential candidates, 2016
• 2016 presidential candidates on ISIS and Syrian refugees
• 2016 presidential candidates on the Iran nuclear deal

Footnotes

v • e 2016 United States Presidential Election Overviews 2016 presidential election •2016 presidential candidates •2016 presidential nominations: calendar and delegate rules •2016 vice presidential candidates •Possible vice presidential picks Candidate profiles Hillary Clinton Donald Trump Jill Stein Gary Johnson Path to the presidency Republican Convention •Republican Primary Democratic Convention •Democratic Primary Policy positions Abortion •Defunding Planned Parenthood •Agricultural subsidies •Black Lives Matter movement •Budgets •Education •Energy and environmental policy •Federal assistance programs •Federalism •Foreign affairs •LGBTQ rights •Government regulations •Healthcare •Immigration •DACA and DAPA •International trade •Rural policy •Taxes On the campaign trail Ballotpedia's battleground poll •Presidential campaign trackers and opposition researchers Campaign staff Presidential campaign staff transfers, resignations and terminations •Staff leaks from 2016 presidential campaigns Clinton staffers •O'Malley staffers •Sanders staffers Bush staffers •Carson staffers •Christie staffers •Cruz staffers •Fiorina staffers •Huckabee staffers •Kasich staffers •Paul staffers •Rubio staffers •Santorum staffers •Trump staffers Debates PBS, February 11, 2016 (Milwaukee) •PBS, February 4, 2016 (Durham, N.H.) •NBC News, January 17, 2016 (Charleston, S.C.) •ABC, December 19, 2015 (Manchester, N.H.) •CBS, November 14, 2015 (Des Moines) •CNN, October 13, 2015](Las Vegas) February 13, 2016 (Greenville, S.C.) •ABC, February 6, 2016 (Manchester, N.H.) •Fox News, January 28, 2016 (Des Moines) •Fox Business, January 14, 2016 (North Charleston, S.C.) •CNN, December 15, 2015 (Las Vegas) •Fox Business, November 10, 2015 (Milwaukee) •CNBC, October 28, 2015 (Boulder) •CNN, September 16, 2015 (Reagan Library) •Fox News, August 6, 2015 (Cleveland) Analysis The media's coverage of Donald Trump •The media's coverage of Hillary Clinton Post-debate analysis overview Democratic:April 14, 2016 (CNN) •March 9, 2016 (Univision) •March 6, 2016 (CNN) •February 11, 2016 (PBS) •February 4, 2016 (MSNBC) •January 17, 2016 (NBC) •December 19, 2015 (ABC) •November 14, 2015 (CBS) •October 13, 2015 (CNN) Republican:March 10, 2016 (CNN) •March 3, 2016 (FNC) •February 25, 2016 (CNN) •February 13, 2016 (CBS) •February 6, 2016 (ABC) •January 28, 2016 (FNC) •January 14, 2016 (FBN) •December 15, 2015 (CNN) •November 10, 2015 (FBN) •October 28, 2015 (CNBC) •September 16, 2015 (CNN) Insiders Poll: First Democratic debate (October 13, 2015) •Presidential Nominating Index: Clinton remains choice of Democratic Insiders •Presidential Nominating Index: Bush remains choice of Republican Insiders •Insiders Poll: Winners and losers from the Fox News Republican Debate