| Dear fellow South Carolinians,
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CIA Director Nominee Gina Haspel Last week, I announced my support for Gina Haspel to serve as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). There is no question Gina Haspel’s decades of service at the CIA have well prepared her to lead the agency forward. Her resume is second to none, and Ms. Haspel has my full support. The Senate should confirm her without delay. In the News The Iran Deal: Last Tuesday, President Trump announced his decision to pull out of the Iran Deal. The administration’s decision underscores the need to do more than the status quo, but this conversation is far from over. The Iran Deal has been flawed from the beginning. The previous administration branded Iran as a top state sponsor of terrorism, which only solidifies the fact that their leadership cannot be trusted. Yet over the past two years we have relied on a subpar agreement to restrict their threatening behavior and it has only continued to embolden their aggressive tactics. If we are going to get serious about curbing Iran's nuclear program, I encourage our allies to come to the table to lay out a new course focused on furthering global security. North Korea Releases Three American Hostages: It was a good day last Wednesday when we found out our fellow Americans Kim Sang Duk, Kim Hak-song, and Kim Dong Chul were on their way home. There is no question this marked a clear diplomatic win for the United States, for the administration, and most importantly, for the families who were reunited with their loved one. The developments we have seen in talks with the North Korean regime are historic, and although we must continue to proceed with caution, the tone and direction of recent discussions have certainly been promising. We hope the upcoming summit scheduled for next month continues to make progress in the right direction. Military Appreciation Month On Friday, during this Military Appreciation Month, we celebrated Military Spouse Appreciation Day. I’m grateful for the men and women who support our service members. Thank you for your bravery, sacrifice and service to our country! Around the State On Friday, I had the pleasure of speaking at two Clemson University commencement ceremonies. Congratulations to the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences and the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. Congrats to the graduates and their families! You can watch some of the highlights here.
Sincerely,
Tim | 