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Former U.S. Senator, Indy mayor Richard Lugar criticizes President Trump's foreign policy

Posted at 2:20 PM, Apr 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-12 15:23:40-04

WASHINGTON -- Former U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), one of the country's foreign policy leaders for years, criticized President Donald Trump's policies in a speech this week.

In a speech to the Foreign Policy Association, Lugar called Trump's policies and recent decisions, "simplistic, prosaic and reactive."

Lugar, who was also the mayor of Indianapolis from 1968-1975, criticized Trump's plan to build a border wall, get more money out of alliance members, renegotiate trade deals, deport as many undocumented immigrants as possible and cut the State Department's budget.

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"Taken together, these policies do nothing to enhance American productivity or competitiveness at home or influence overseas," he said. "These are goals that normally would be associated with a selfish, inward looking nation that is being motivated by fear, not a great superpower with the capacity to shape global affairs."

Lugar served in the Senate for 33 years.

He also discussed Trump's recent strike against Syria, saying he reversed course on statements he made as a presidential candidate. Trump ordered the launch of 59 missiles against a Syrian air force base after the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians. 

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"A strong, well-funded military remains as important as ever in deterring aggression and addressing threats that cannot be solved in any other way," Lugar said. "But we cannot bomb our way to security."

MORE | Read Lugar's full, 3,200-word speech here.