“I think senators need to step up and reassert a bigger role” in foreign policy, Sen. Pat Toomey said, adding that he would be looking for Trump to nominate a new Defense secretary who has a more traditional view of U.S. foreign policy. | Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images foreign policy Toomey says Mattis nailed it in his resignation letter

Lamenting that President Donald Trump doesn’t share the foreign policy views of many Republicans, Sen. Pat Toomey said Sunday on NBC that James Mattis‘ resignation letter “put his finger on“ those differences.

“I 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,” Toomey (R-Pa.) said of Mattis’ letter resigning from his position in Trump’s Cabinet.


“I strongly disagree with this decision to withdraw, prematurely in my view, from Syria.”

In resigning Thursday from his position as Defense secretary, Mattis stated, “One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships.”

Speaking Sunday on “Meet the Press,” Toomey noted that Trump doesn't have the same views on America’s postwar “Pax Americana” foreign policy, built on an internationalist viewpoint.

“I would say, my view that the Pax Americana of the postwar era has been enormously good for America. It’s been good for the people that I represent. It's been great for all of us, and it has taken the commitment of leadership,“ the Pennsylvania Republican said.

Toomey said the solution is for the Senate to push back on presidential authority.

“I think senators need to step up and reassert a bigger role for the Senate” in foreign policy, Toomey said, adding that he would be looking for Trump to nominate a new Defense secretary who has “a more traditional view“ of U.S. foreign policy.

Toomey said he customarily gives the president wide latitude in picking his Cabinet but would be more cautious in this case.

“The president's views are so divergent, certainly, from mine that I think I’ll be much — this one's going to be tough,“ he said.

Addressing the issue of the partial government shutdown that began early Saturday, Toomey called it “a big distraction” from the fact that the Congress had been able to restore order this year to an unwieldy appropriations process. He noted that the shutdown would have been broader if not for that.