RICHMOND, VA – Today, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) hosted Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), alongside more than 100 local business, veteran, and community leaders, for a timely and critical discussion on America’s role in the world and how Virginia’s economic and security interests are shaped by international challenges and opportunities.

In addition to Senator Warner, the conversation featured remarks from Lt. General Scott Kindsvater, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) and 22nd Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, Colonel Carlos Hopkins, U.S. Army National Guardsman and Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs (2017-2021), Stephanie Agee, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for International Trade at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Christian Rautenstrauch, Director of Public Policy at Coca Cola, and Brett Vassey, President and CEO of Virginia Manufacturers Association.

Virginians understand how America’s engagement in the world benefits them here at home. In Virginia, 1,141,000 jobs are supported by international trade, representing 21.1% of all jobs in the state. Virginia-based companies depend on exporting their goods around the world. More than 7,000 Virginia companies supporting 1.1 million jobs exported $22.4 billion worth of goods in 2023.

“The rest of the world wants American leadership. When the alternatives are authoritarian regimes like China or Russia or Iran, the rest of the world frankly wanders without American leadership,” said U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner. “There is nothing better for America’s economic interest and, frankly, for our overall world prosperity than maintaining strong, principled American leadership across all these diplomatic, military, technological, and economic domains.”

“Not since the ‘40s have we had a threat in Asia and a threat in Europe simultaneously,” Lt. General Scott Kindsvater, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) and 22nd Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. “Xi Jinping and Putin have had over 45 meetings… They’re talking about… ending the global order that we established coming out of World War Two, and that’s it, and putting their blueprint on that absolute global order.”

“Manufacturers absolutely understand that defense plus diplomacy plus trade equals peace and prosperity. And when you look at Virginia manufacturers, we’re only 2% of all the businesses, but we’re 60% of the state’s entire export base,” said Brett Vassey, President and CEO, Virginia Manufacturers Association.“We still see huge opportunities in the American South to continue to grow that and as we grow more export opportunities, and we help entrepreneurs build more relationships in countries. That’s when we see more stability in those relationships.”

“The world is at an inflection point, facing growing global challenges, with our adversaries and competitors playing to win. The question is how America shows up in the world and ensuring we have the tools to compete and protect our security and economic interests,” said USGLC President and CEO Liz Schrayer. “Senator Warner more than gets it. As Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, he is a steadfast leader and critical defender of America’s role in the world, making an extraordinary difference for the security and economic interests of the people of Virginia and this country.”