2020 Democrats say what they think is the biggest geopolitical threat to the US
- The 10 2020 Democratic presidential candidates who faced off on the first night of the first primary debate on Wednesday were all asked what they think is the biggest geopolitical threat facing the US.
- The question drew a wide array of responses, including China, Iran, Russia, climate change, and nuclear war.
- But Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's answer appeared to draw the loudest applause, when he said, "The biggest threat to the security of the United States is Donald Trump, and there's no question."
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The 2020 campaign season kicked into high gear Wednesday night when the first Democratic primary debate took place in Miami, Florida.
The event, hosted by NBC, is split over two consecutive nights to accommodate the 20 Democratic contenders - there are 23 total - who qualified for the debate.
On Wednesday, the moderators asked each of the 10 candidates what they believe is the biggest geopolitical threat facing the US. The question drew a wide array of answers ranging from China, Iran, Russia, nuclear war, and climate change.
But Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's answer appeared to draw the loudest applause, when he said, "The biggest threat to the security of the United States is Donald Trump, and there's no question."
Here's every candidate's answer to the question
- Former Rep. John Delaney: "Well, the biggest geopolitical challenge is China, but the biggest geopolitical threat is nuclear weapons."
- Gov. Jay Inslee: "The biggest threat to the security of the United States is Donald Trump, and there's no question."
- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii: "The greatest threat that we face is the fact that we are at a greater risk of nuclear war today than ever before in history."
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota: "Two threats: economic threat, China, but our major threat right now is what's going on in the mid-east with Iran if we don't get our act together with this president."
- Former Rep. Beto O'Rourke: "Our existential threat right now is climate change. we have to confront it before it's too late."
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts: "Climate change."
- Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey: "Nuclear proliferation and climate change."
- Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro: "China and climate change."
- Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio: "China without a question, they're wiping us around the world, economically."
- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio: "Russia, because they're trying to undermine our democracy and they've been doing a pretty damn good job of it, and we need to stop them."