House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats

washingtonpost.comBolsonaro is granted a visa to enter the U.S. after fleeing Brazil following election lossThe defeated Brazilian presidential candidate was ordered to surrender his passport. Instead, he went north, following the path his father took.

No asylum for people fleeing war in Sudan or conflict in Haiti, but Rubio is rolling out the red carpet for Bolsonaro. Apparently, fleeing violence doesn’t qualify. Denying election results does. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/1...

apnews.comLula is declared winner of Brazil's election as Bolsonaro rejects resultsFlavio Bolsonaro is refusing to concede defeat to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who bested him by nearly 4.4 million votes, following a chaotic delay in poll closing times ordered by ...

1/ @meeks.house.gov: Congratulations to Lula on his electoral victory. The Brazilian people have made their voices heard, and I look forward to working with the incoming government…

2/ …The Trump administration must support a peaceful and orderly transfer of power that reflects the will of the Brazilian people and respects the democratic process.

nytimes.comU.S. and Israel Draw Up Plans for Renewed Strikes on Iran After Midterm Elections (Gift Article)Renewed hostilities might not be any more successful than the war’s first phase, and President Trump has repeatedly canceled plans for a return to major combat.

We cannot bomb our way out of the mess Trump has made in Iran. More unauthorized U.S. strikes would be reckless, costly, and a betrayal to the American people who are being forced to pay for a war they do not support. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/21/u...

washingtonsun.comState Asked Foreign Service Officers Up for Promotion Whether They Voted for TrumpFederal law strictly prohibits making civil service personnel decisions on the basis of political affiliation.

RM Meeks: Rubio is firing or sidelining career diplomats in favor of loyalists. Not meritocracy, but MAGA nepotism. Personnel decisions based on political litmus tests are blatantly illegal and do real harm to national security. Congress and State OIG must investigate—I’m working to ensure that.

cnbc.comWitkoff calls Putin a 'humanitarian' at Russia peace talks without UkraineSpeaking in Oslo on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said Washington had reaffirmed its commitment to providing Ukraine with security guarantees.

Groveling before a war criminal is unconscionable. Putin has masterminded the slaughter of thousands of Ukrainian civilians. He is not a humanitarian—no amount of shameless flattery will change that. www.cnbc.com/2026/10/21/w...

floridapolitics.comMaría Elvira Salazar nets another foreign endorsement, this time from Argentina’s President‘We need leaders in Washington who understand Latin America.’

1/ Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov: President Milei’s endorsement is an inappropriate intrusion into our democracy. American elections are decided by American voters, not foreign heads of state....

2/ ... The U.S. and Argentina share a longstanding relationship built on mutual respect and shared democratic values. President Milei should respect those principles, and Congress must continue to make clear that any foreign electoral interference is unacceptable.

Ranking Members @meeks.house.gov, @adamsmith.house.gov and @jahimes.bsky.social issued a joint statement following today's call between President Zelenskyy and a bipartisan group of Members of Congress:

1/ Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov today spoke with Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella to reaffirm the importance of preserving bipartisan support for the U.S.-Colombia relationship

2/ They discussed support for the Colombian people as they continue to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes. They also discussed opportunities to deepen their cooperation to advance the rights, inclusion, and opportunities for Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities.

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov issued the following statement regarding settler violence in the West Bank:

"Donald Trump has spent years chasing the Nobel Peace Prize. After weeks of pro-Putin policy and this shameful waiver, he deserves a different honor: the Neville Chamberlain Appeasement Award." Statement from Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov on Trump waiving sanctions on Russia:

democrats-foreignaffairs.house.govMeeks Introduces Legislation to Block Trump’s Russia Diesel Deal

🚨🚨Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov, joined by 17 House colleagues, introduced the bipartisan Prohibit Corrupt Russia Oil Deals Act to block President Trump’s corrupt deal with Vladimir Putin to purchase and import Russian diesel. democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/2026/10/meek...

Ranking Members @meeks.house.gov & @bera.house.gov joined bipartisan colleagues in a letter to Amb. Waltz calling on the US to oppose an effort by the Burmese military junta to credential or seat a junta-appointed official—a brazen attempt to legitimize its sham electoral process before the UN.

democrats-foreignaffairs.house.govdemocrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov

2/ Read the letter: democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/_cache/files...

washingtonpost.comPrices increased sharply in September in last inflation report ahead of electionsInflation increased in September to a 3.7 percent annual pace, higher than expected.

Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Today, inflation is out of control because of his war of choice in Iran and his tariffs. Congressional Republicans could have joined Democrats in voting against these failed policies. Instead, they backed them every step of the way.

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov issued the following statement after Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella weighed in on U.S. House elections:

ft.comUkraine blindsided by Starlink restrictions and intelligence gapsMoscow ignores Donald Trump’s ‘energy ceasefire’ while Kyiv’s forces experience connectivity problems on Elon Musk’s satellite network

Restricting Ukraine's Starlink and Starshield access while ballistic missiles and drones attack Ukraine is unconscionable. The admin also reportedly gave Kyiv no warning of the strikes. Trump’s making a choice—and it directly aids Putin's slaughter of Ukrainian civilians. www.ft.com/content/3708...

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov, joined by all HFAC Democrats, condemn President Trump’s decision to license Russian diesel purchases and call on Congress to pass the End Russian Oil Windfalls Act.

apnews.comTrump says Ukraine should get a new president as he blames Zelenskyy for US diesel pricesFormer President Donald Trump says Ukraine needs a new leader, suggesting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hasn't done enough to end the war with Russia.

Trump can point the finger all he wants, but the American people know very well that costs for gas, groceries, and everyday goods have gone up because of the war Trump started. apnews.com/article/russ...

Statement from Ranking Members @meeks.house.gov and @sarajacobs.house.gov on escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea:

reuters.comEXCLUSIVE: US opens direct talks with Myanmar's generals, reversing years of isolationThe Trump administration has begun direct talks with Myanmar’s military-installed government in a sharp reversal of Washington's efforts to isolate the country’s generals after the 2021 coup.

“By engaging Min Aung Hlaing while failing to implement congressionally mandated sanctions and deploy appropriated ⁠democracy funding, Secretary Rubio is ceding U.S. leadership and providing this murderous regime greater international legitimacy” - @meeks.house.gov www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...

wsj.comExclusive | ‘Honey Please’: Kimberly Guilfoyle Pushed Donor to Wire $100,000 to Her Amex AccountText messages with a MAGA ally show Guilfoyle seeking funds and offering access to top administration officials before becoming ambassador to Greece.

The wealthy and well-connected using their positions of power to score shady deals, get rich, and advance their own personal interests – all while life gets more expensive for the American people. This is Donald Trump's corrupt foreign policy. www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

Statement from Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov marking the third anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack in Israel carried out by Hamas:

Ranking Members @meeks.house.gov, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Sara Jacobs and Sen. Jeff Merkley issued a statement following the release of a Government Accountability Office report they requested on the Trump administration’s hollowing out of U.S. foreign assistance:

gao.govU.S. GAO - Foreign Assistance: Agencies Made Broad Changes, but State Lacked Guidance for DecisionsThe U.S. provides foreign assistance to help countries and populations in need. The U.S. Agency for International Development has historically...

2/ Read the report: www.gao.gov/products/gao...

RMs @meeks.house.gov & @joaquincastrotx.bsky.social, along with all Dems on the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, issued a statement after the State Department provided the Committee with one document related to the Trump admin’s deal signed with Alejandro Betancourt to acquire a stake in NABEP:

Statement from Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov after a Burmese military airstrike on a market in Kyauktaw, Burma reportedly killed at least 50 civilians. The strike came as the Trump admin announced an updated Burma policy that would expand engagement with the military junta there:

wsj.comExclusive | Democrats Call for Probe Into Kimberly Guilfoyle’s ConductLawmakers have raised concerns with the State Department about the ambassador to Greece’s dealings with a lobbyist.

🚨Ranking Member Gregory Meeks is demanding answers over the reported conduct of Ambassador Guilfoyle and the use of her role as a U.S. government official to advance personal and private commercial interests, including those of foreign companies. ⬇️ ⬇️ www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

theatlantic.comTrump’s Latest Appeal to Russia Could Outrage Even His AlliesTrump’s envoy wants to trade Russian political prisoners for U.S. sanctions relief, creating a path to business deals before the war in Ukraine ends.

Putin’s indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine have only increased under the Trump administration. A plan to pacify and appease Putin in hopes that he becomes serious about peace is foolish, lets the aggressor off the hook, and will only prolong this war.

Ranking Members @meeks.house.gov & @repangiecraig.bsky.social are raising the alarm on the State Department’s reported plans to phase out U.S. support for the Famine Early Warning Systems Network—a vital program to detect & respond to early signs of developing food security crises around the world.

democrats-foreignaffairs.house.govMeeks, Craig Lead Dems in Raising Alarm Over State Department’s Potential Ending of Support for Monitoring Early Signs of Famine

Read the letter: democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/2026/9/meeks...

nytimes.comVideo: Russia Strikes Ukraine’s National Academy of SciencesA Russian drone strike on Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv on Monday killed at least one person and injured six, local officials said.

Between this "siege" of Oleshky and the constant bombing of Ukrainian civilians, including today's attack on Kyiv, there's no excuse for the Trump administration's continued indifference to Russia's actions. Russia started this war and could end it now. Sanctions now. Support now.

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov issued the following statement in advance of the summit between US President Donald Trump and People’s Republic of China (PRC) President Xi Jinping on Thursday:

nytimes.comTrump Says His Son Will Pay Back Russian Businessman for Wedding PartyThe president said his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., had decided to return the money, but defended the gift worth hundreds of thousands of dollars as “totally allowed.”

22 Sept

Trump: "I hear he paid him back." Given the Trump family's history, we'll believe it when we see evidence that Don Jr. actually paid back the Russian oligarch who bankrolled his wedding. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/u...

22 Sept

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov issues statement after President Trump allowed Executive Order 14046, "Imposing Sanctions on Certain Persons With Respect to the Humanitarian and Human Rights Crisis in Ethiopia" to expire:

19 Sept

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov met with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun to discuss the U.S.-ROK alliance, critical to our nations' security and prosperity. We should be strengthening our alliance and enhancing our economic and strategic partnership with Seoul.

nytimes.comU.S. and Denmark Reach Security Deal on Greenland, Trump SaysThe full contours of the deal were unclear, but Denmark and Greenland both indicated they expected an agreement to be signed soon.

19 Sept

Trump spent two years threatening to take Greenland in a Putin-style land grab, and undermining relations with a NATO ally in the process. For what? A deal that is basically the same as what we have now. 👏👏👏 www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/u...

19 Sept

RM @meeks.house.gov met with Hirofumi Nakasone, Akihisa Nagashima, & Seiji Maehara, senior parliamentarians from Japan's Diet & members of the Japan-US Parliamentarians’ Friendship Group. Our alliance is critical for a free & open Indo-Pacific, & close dialogue with Japanese colleagues is essential.

18 Sept

🚨🚨Ahead of the Trump-Xi Summit, Ranking Members @meeks.house.gov, @bera.house.gov and @sarajacobs.house.gov are leading Democrats in calling on the administration to engage in sustained and substantive dialogue with China to address AI-related safety risks.

democrats-foreignaffairs.house.govMeeks, Bera, Jacobs Lead 26 Democrats in Urging AI Diplomacy with China

18 Sept

Read the letter: democrats-foreignaffairs.house.gov/2026/9/meeks...

semafor.comExclusive: Democrats press Trump administration on Venezuela oil dealThe lawmakers homed in on the role of Venezuelan businessman Alejandro Betancourt.

18 Sept

🚨🚨Ranking Members Gregory Meeks, Robert Garcia & Jared Huffman are demanding answers from Sec. Rubio & AG Blanche on the admin's partnership with Venezuelan businessman and alleged money launderer Alejandro Betancourt & its unprecedented scheme to take an ownership stake in a Venezuelan oil company.

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov was pleased to meet with Liberian President Joseph Boakai. The two discussed opportunities for the U.S. and Liberia to increase cooperation on law enforcement issues and promote closer regional economic integration in West Africa.

2/ They welcomed Congress's recent extension of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act and its ability to strengthen both the American and Liberian economies.

3/ President Boakai and Ranking Member Meeks concluded the meeting by recognizing the enduring U.S.-Liberia partnership and underscored their commitment to championing democracy, human rights, and sustainable economic development.

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov, alongside Rep. Brad Sherman, Rep. John Garamendi, and Rep. Don Beyer, announced the introduction of a Joint Resolution of Disapproval to block the Trump administration’s nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia:

Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov issued a statement celebrating the passage of the Foreign Service Modernization Act:

16 Sept

Statement from Ranking Member @meeks.house.gov following the House vote on the Lindsay O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act: