Senate Foreign Relations Hearing Warns of Growing Chinese, Russian and Iranian Influence in Western Hemisphere; Calls for 21st‑Century Strategy

Sen. Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, opened the hearing by urging a renewed American focus on the Western Hemisphere and warned that “the most pressing long term threat in the Western Hemisphere is China.” The committee heard testimony from two experts who described economic, security and political challenges tied to expanding foreign influence across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Dr. Ledford, a Hoover Fellow and assistant director of the Hoover History Lab at the Hoover Institution, told the committee that preventing “hostile foreign powers from spreading their malign influence in the Western Hemisphere must serve as the cornerstone of American foreign policy.” He cited Chinese investments in ports and mining, growing military and intelligence ties with Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, and economic footprint expansion across South America as examples of strategic competition in the region.

Margaret Myers, senior advisor at the Inter‑American Dialogue and a global fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center, argued that while hard power and security steps are necessary, “reliance on sticks alone is not sustainable and will not yield desirable long term outcomes.” She urged increased U.S. investment, diplomatic engagement and…