Florida Republican brings 'America First' bent to powerful Foreign Affairs Committee

Rep. Brian Mast’s (R-Fla.) surprising selection to be the next chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is the latest sign of the Republican Party being reshaped by the next generation of "America First," pro-Trump leaders.

Considered a dark horse in the race, the decorated war veteran, who dons prosthetic legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2010, beat three more senior House Republicans to lead the committee in the next Congress.

Some sources had the impression that President-elect Trump — who has favored elevating Florida lawmakers in his incoming Cabinet — had influence in Mast securing the gavel, though one Steering Committee member said Mast “did it all on his own.”

“I have a great relationship with President Trump. Obviously, I represent his area down there,” Mast told The Hill, referring to his Mar-a-Lago area district.

Mast said that the vision he presented to House GOP Steering Committee leaders on Monday focused on an “America First” mission statement: “Every diplomat and every dollar puts America first.”

“We want to be the partner of choice abroad,” Mast said. “It can't be because you do things like drag shows in Ecuador, or atheism in Nepal or, you know, take your pick of things. Those are not things that make America the partner of choice — they’re a waste of taxpayer dollars that most people would not agree with even if it did make us a partner for somebody.”

Mast also forecast plans for the committee to conduct a major reauthorization effort. Congress has not passed a comprehensive foreign relations reauthorization law since 2002, though it has passed other laws establishing new State Department authorities, congressional oversight provisions and other authorizations.

One member of the GOP Steering Committee said that Mast had a “superb and clear” presentation. While the three other contenders for the Foreign Affairs gavel — Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) — all had a decade or two of experience in Congress, Mast was first elected in 2016.

Outgoing Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who was term-limited and declined to seek a waiver to keep the gavel, said he identified with Mast’s ascension.

“I was a dark horse like he was. So I identify with that,” McCaul said of his earlier chairing of the House Homeland Security Committee. McCaul said he will remain on the Foreign Affairs Committee as chair emeritus and is offering his mentorship to Mast.

“That committee declares war, has the power to do so, and at a time when the world's on fire, it's not a time to get down into personalities,” he said. “And my job as the chairman emeritus is to make sure this committee stays on course, on track to help the next administration bring peace to the world and not war.”

Mast’s rise also caught foreign diplomats by surprise.

One diplomat serving in D.C. said Mast’s election was unexpected and that Wagner or Issa seemed more likely. The diplomat said they have engaged with Mast before and see his positions as closely aligning with Trump's.

Another diplomat, also surprised by Mast’s win, said Wagner looked like a strong contender, and there was optimism around Wilson, given his outspoken criticisms of Russian President Vladimir Putin and stalwart support for Ukraine.

“But I always thought it would be too naive under current circumstances,” the diplomat said.

One major question is what approach Mast will take to foreign conflicts. Mast is a staunch supporter of Israel and volunteered alongside the Israel Defense Forces, but he has been more skeptical of continuing U.S. financial support for Ukraine.

Mast earlier this year voted against a $60 billion Ukraine aid package, writing in a Newsweek op-ed that “Europe has all the money it needs to ensure Kyiv's survival if only it would open up its wallet to the extent it expects America to do.”

“I expect complete alignment with the position of Trump, I don’t see too much room for Mast’s personal initiatives with regard to Ukraine. I expect that Israel probably will be a higher priority on his agenda,” the foreign diplomat said.

Mast will likely find common cause with a vehemently pro-Israel foreign policy team in the Trump administration, including Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), his pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for secretary of State; and Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) for national security adviser.

As chair of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on oversight and accountability, Mast has focused on scrutinizing where American dollars are going and if they serve U.S. interests.

Among his biggest criticisms is the discovery that a $500,000 grant to a humanist group may have been misused to promote atheism in Nepal and Asia while it was intended to promote religious freedom.

During a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday scrutinizing the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, Mast pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken on indirect U.S. assistance to Afghanistan, which he said was filling the coffers of the Taliban, the U.S.-designated terrorist group who overtook the country in 2021.

“We do not even have an embassy there, we have no business even putting one dollar into that place,” Mast said to Blinken.

“I respectfully disagree,” Blinken responded. “I think the work we have done through these partners and many other countries have done, have saved many, many lives in an incredibly difficult situation.”

Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), a Democratic member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, was also surprised by Mast’s selection, saying he thought Wagner and Wilson had a good shot at the gavel. Asked if he had any concerns about bipartisan work on the committee continuing, Costa said he would give Mast the benefit of the doubt.

“The proof is in the pudding. We'll see what he does,” Costa told The Hill. “I hope that like Mike McCaul, he establishes bipartisan working efforts with both sides of the committee. That's my hope.”

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