Vice President Kamala Harris has been named one of the most influential women in international security, according to rankings conducted by security experts.
The Democratic nominee for president placed first in rankings for “Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure and Vulnerable Populations,” according to National Security News.
Harris ranked above her political ally, former Republican Representative Liz Cheney, who placed fourth on the list. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also featured on the list as the leading woman for “Forging Diplomatic Bonds to Bolster Collective Defence,” along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Harris’ work as deputy district attorney in Oakland, California, and as the state’s attorney general, where she secured large settlements against mortgage lenders, were highlighted as examples of her protection of infrastructure and vulnerable communities.
Additionally, support for Ukraine was a key part of determining the rankings—her stance on the conflict between the country and Russia was a deciding factor in Harris’ placement on the list.
National Security News told Newsweek in a statement: “Vice President and the Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is named as the most influential woman working in national security today.
“Her relentless diplomacy with allies around the globe preserved a united front in support of Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.
“Vice President Harris has also shown that she clearly understands the reality of American military deterrence, and has promised to preserve the American military’s status as the most ‘lethal’ force in the world.”
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.
Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on April 13, 2023. Harris has been named as a leading woman in the international security community.
Getty Images
As vice president, Harris has been involved with several of President Joe Biden‘s most significant foreign policy and national security decisions. Biden previously said that Harris was “the last person in the room” during the evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021.
However, foreign policy has been a difficult issue to navigate this election for the Harris campaign due to the war in Gaza. Many Arab American voters, who have large communities in swing states like Michigan, are frustrated with the Biden administration’s approach to the conflict and support of Israel.
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly focused on his own foreign policy record during the election, arguing that no new wars were started while he was president. He has also said that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine had he been in the White House.
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