“Thank you, Chairman Mast and thank you, Under Secretary Rogers, for appearing before the Committee. I am glad we are holding this hearing today.  The Chairman has called very few hearings this Congress with Administration officials, so I’m pleased we will have the opportunity to hear from you.   

“At the same time, it is a dereliction of our duty to not have one single administration witness testify publicly on Iran for the past year, and even after the Administration bombed Iran in June. Zero.  The American people deserve to know why this President has taken us to war, what the objectives and nature of the imminent threat are, and how much it will cost them. These are basic questions that should be easy to explain BEFORE dropping a bomb and my constituents did not elect me to serve as a rubber stamp.   

“So back to you Madame Under Secretary, let me start by emphasizing a point on which I hope we agree: public diplomacy is not symbolic. It is our frontline tool for ensuring the United States—not China, not Russia—shapes how billions of people understand democracy, freedom, and American values. It’s how we counter foreign disinformation and propaganda, demonstrate U.S. leadership, and win hearts and minds. 

“Under Secretary Rogers, your job is to tell America’s story—not to become the story yourself.  

“Too often, the public narrative has centered on your statements, political engagements, and social media activity rather than America’s global message. During your brief tenure, you have met with partisan political actors in Europe and publicly criticized allied governments’ domestic policies, rather than explaining America’s foreign policy, the opposite of your mandate.   

“Your public statements on migration and political issues in allied countries have courted controversy. Your activities in Europe have disrupted U.S.-EU trade discussions and I understand that senior officials in your own administration have raised objections to your approach.   

“I am concerned that the focus of your tenure has at times appeared more aligned with advancing a domestic political brand than strengthening America’s global credibility. That is not public diplomacy, and it diminishes the credibility of your Under Secretariat and the professionals who serve within it. 

“The Public Diplomacy mission was not meant to be confined to one continent or to one issue. It is global by design. And for good reason. 

“China is rapidly expanding state-run media, cultural diplomacy, and exchanges worldwide, while Russia continues aggressive information warfare. Authoritarian actors are filling influence gaps wherever America appears absent. 

“U.S. public diplomacy has never been more needed, or more neglected. The world is watching an America that has launched trade wars and military ones.  

“They are trying to understand what America stands for. THAT is precisely the mission your office exists to address. 

“This year should have been an opportunity to showcase American leadership and values. We are hosting the FIFA World Cup and celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. Yet anti-U.S. sentiment is rising, and some countries have issued travel advisories for the United States. Tourism has declined. That perception environment makes your mission more, not less, critical.  

“We know that U.S.-exchange programs are one of America’s most effective tools for building long-term support abroad. The Administration’s foreign assistance review, restructuring, and politicization of public diplomacy have delayed programs, upended contracts, and created uncertainty among partners.   

“Congress strengthened the Public Diplomacy Under Secretariat at State because leadership in public diplomacy is essential to national security. That authority carries expectations: that America’s global voice be coordinated, credible, and focused on advancing America’s standing, not weakening it. 

“If public diplomacy is perceived as partisan or ideological rather than strategic, it will undermine its own effectiveness, and hand our adversaries exactly the narrative they want. It erodes trust and undercuts our power of persuasion. 

“So, you have a big job ahead of you and I look forward to hearing how you will refocus the office on its actual mission: advancing the interests of the American people around the world, strengthening our alliances, and restoring confidence in America’s voice abroad.   

“Thank you, I yield back.”