{"id":2749,"date":"2018-12-23T12:24:52","date_gmt":"2018-12-23T17:24:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/press.nbcnews.com\/?p=2749"},"modified":"2018-12-23T12:24:52","modified_gmt":"2018-12-23T17:24:52","slug":"mtp-exclusive-sen-pat-toomey-president-trumps-views-on-foreign-policy-are-very-very-distinct-from-the-vast-majority-of-republicans-and-democrats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nbcuniversalnewsgroup.com\/nbcnews\/2018\/12\/23\/mtp-exclusive-sen-pat-toomey-president-trumps-views-on-foreign-policy-are-very-very-distinct-from-the-vast-majority-of-republicans-and-democrats\/","title":{"rendered":"MTP EXCLUSIVE: SEN. PAT TOOMEY: PRESIDENT TRUMP\u2019S VIEWS ON FOREIGN POLICY ARE \u201cVERY, VERY DISTINCT FROM THE VAST MAJORITY\u201d OF REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS"},"content":{"rendered":"

ALSO: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SEN. DICK DURBIN: <\/em><\/strong>\u201cABSOLUTELY\u201d OPEN TO INCREASING FUNDING FOR BORDER SECURITY AS LONG AS IT\u2019S NOT FOR A BORDER WALL<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

PLUS: EXCLUSIVE ONE-ON-ONE WITH JULIAN CASTRO: PRESIDENT TRUMP IS \u201cNOT BEHAVING LIKE HE’S FIT FOR OFFICE\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

DEC. 23, 2018<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Sen. Pat Toomey <\/strong>(R-Pa.) told moderator Chuck Todd on Meet the Press<\/em> that he is disturbed by the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. \u201cI think General Mattis has put his finger on where the president has views that are very, very distinct from the vast majority of Republicans and probably Democrats, elected and unelected.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the president does not share, I would say, my view that the Pax Americana of the post-war era has been enormously good for America,\u201d Toomey shared on the program during an exclusive interview. When asked about what he is looking for in the next secretary of defense, Toomey stated that it would be someone that shares \u201ca more traditional view about America’s role in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

On President Trump\u2019s decision to withdraw troops from Syria, Toomey shared that he strongly disagrees with the decision and said, \u201csenators should speak out\u201d when they have differences with the president. \u201cWe were elected separately from the president. We don’t report to the President. We should cooperate where we can. And where we need to disagree, we should be willing to do that.\u201d Watch the\u00a0<\/strong>full interview<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sen. Dick Durbin <\/strong>(D-Ill.) also joined the program for an exclusive interview and told Chuck Todd that he is \u201cabsolutely\u201d open to increasing funding for border security as long as it\u2019s not for what he called President Trump\u2019s proposed \u201cmedieval\u201d border wall.<\/p>\n

Durbin said the border wall is not an issue of border security, it\u2019s an \u201cissue of his own political insecurity. When the right-wingers start screaming at him, he just backs off and dissembles in front of us. We now have reached a depth of dysfunction that I’ve never seen in Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Defense Secretary Jim Mattis\u2019 resignation, the Democratic Whip said, \u201cI was one of many senators who privately sat down with General Mattis and said please stay. Stay as long as you possibly can. We desperately need your mature voice, your patriotism in the room when this president’s making life-or-death decisions about national security.\u201d He continued, \u201cWe counted on him to be there and to stop this president from his worst impulse.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked about President Trump\u2019s fitness for office, Durbin shared on the program, \u201cI can tell you every day I question whether or not we can endure another two years.\u00a0I think we can, I think this Constitution is strong. The American people are strong. But I’m hoping that my Republican colleagues will step up and join us in a bipartisan effort to put this government back on track.\u201d Watch the\u00a0<\/strong>full interview<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In addition, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro<\/strong> joined the program in an exclusive interview and said President Trump is \u201cnot behaving like he’s fit for office. He’s behaving extremely erratically. He’s not giving the American people or our allies around the world any sense that there’s a rationale for the decisions that he’s making.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked about President Trump\u2019s decision to pull troops out of Syria, Castro responded, \u201cI think that many folks recognize that it was time for us to pull out of Syria. However, here’s the thing. Once you’re there, you have to make sure that you have a plan for your operations there and, also, for your withdrawal.\u201d<\/p>\n

On a potential 2020 presidential run, Castro said he has \u201cno doubt\u201d that there is enough room for him and Beto O’Rourke in the race stating, \u201cThere are going to be a whole bunch of folks that are running this time. And so you know, he’s a very talented, very impressive guy. My brother, Joaquin, and I were proud to support him, when he ran against Ted Cruz. And I think that, that there are probably going to be 20 people up on that first debate stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch the\u00a0<\/strong>full interview<\/a><\/strong>. <\/strong><\/p>\n

White House Correspondent for PBS NewsHour and NBC News Contributor\u00a0Yamiche Alcindor, <\/strong>Host of The\u00a0Hugh Hewitt\u00a0Show<\/em> and NBC News Contributor Hugh Hewitt<\/strong>, Host of NPR\u2019s 1A and NBC News Contributor Joshua Johnson<\/strong>, and National Editor of The\u00a0Cook Political Report Amy Walter<\/strong> joined the broadcast\u2019s roundtable for insight and analysis on the week in politics. Watch the\u00a0<\/strong>full panel<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Read the\u00a0full\u00a0transcrip<\/a>t<\/u>\u00a0of\u00a0Meet the Press<\/em>\u00a0this morning and follow the show\u00a0on Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0on Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for the latest.<\/p>\n

PLEASE CREDIT: NBC NEWS\u2019\u00a0MEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n