Kamala Harris has been recognized as the most influential woman in international security in a prestigious new set of rankings that will burnish her credentials on the world stage just days before America goes to the polls.
The Democratic nominee for president placed first for her work on “Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure and Vulnerable Populations,” according to a panel of security experts assembled by National Security News.
Harris ranked above her political ally, former Republican Representative Liz Cheney, who placed fourth on the inaugural list.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was recognized for “Forging Diplomatic Bonds to Bolster Collective Defense,” along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The plaudit will be welcomed by the Harris campaign, which has at times struggled to convince voters that she is the best candidate to represent the US on the world stage.
A recent poll of swing state voters by the Institute for Global Affairs found that Trump was the more trusted candidate to take on China, with 58 percent believing he would “respond effectively if China attacks Taiwan,” compared to only 42 percent for the Vice President.
When asked who would pursue a foreign policy “which benefits people like you,” 53 percent opted for the former president over Harris (47 percent).
Some 58 percent felt Trump was more likely than Harris (41 percent) to end the war in Ukraine.
However, Harris’ strident support for Volodymyr Zelensky and his country’s battle against Vladimir’s Putin’s invasion won recognition from security experts.
Sean Rayment, Editor of National Security News, told Newsweek: “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.”
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.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment.
Kamala Harris and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands after speaking to the press before a private meeting. Harris’ support for Ukraine was critical in her position on the ranking.
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.
Israel’s war with Hamas has made foreign policy a difficult issue to navigate this election for the Harris campaign. Many Arab American voters, who have large communities in swing states like Michigan, have been frustrated with the Biden administration’s ongoing support for Israel.
Former President Donald Trump has focused on his own foreign policy record during the election, arguing that no new wars were started while he was president. He has also claimed that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine had he been in the White House.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the war in Gaza have been the defining foreign policy issues of the election.
The Biden administration has also warned that Russian interference with the U.S. election could lead to an increase in disinformation in the lead up to Election Day.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said that Russian state media network RT had spent nearly $10 million in order to “fund and direct a Tennessee-based company to publish and disseminate content deemed favorable to the Russian government”.
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