Foreign policy
In October 2015, Ernst said that Obama lacked "a clear coherent strategy in Afghanistan" amid the rise of Taliban forces and ISIS. In August 2021, she called the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan "rapid and haphazard" and "shameful", chiding the Biden administration for removing troops before guaranteeing the safety of the U.S. embassy.
Ernst opposed the Iran deal negotiated by the Obama administration. In January 2020, she expressed support for the US military's assassination of Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani by drone strike at Baghdad International Airport.
Of the Iraq War and weapons of mass destruction, she said, "We don't know that there were weapons on the ground when we went in. However, I do have reason to believe there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. That was the intelligence that was operated on. I have reason to believe there was weapons of mass destruction. My husband served in Saudi Arabia as an Army Central Command sergeant major for a year and that's a hot-button topic in that area." After criticism from Iowa Democrats and some commentators, Ernst then issued a statement that she had not meant to suggest that Iraq had WMD at the time of invasion, but rather that Iraq had used WMDs in the past, and that her point was that "we don't know exactly what happened to those weapons."
When asked whether she supports the limited airstrikes conducted in Iraq in August 2014, Ernst said, "What I can say is what I would have supported is leaving additional troops in Iraq longer and perhaps we wouldn't have this situation today."
In October 2023, days after the beginning of the Gaza war, Ernst led a congressional delegation to meetings with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, other Israeli leaders, and American civilians in Israel. She said the meetings were meant to "reassure the leadership in Israel as well as a number of American families that were there that we stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel".
In July 2024, before Netanyahu gave a speech to Congress, Ernst led a Republican press conference "demanding action from this waffling White House" and called for U.S. sanctions and weapons to help Israel defeat Hamas. She also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for not attending the speech, calling her absence "a disgrace" and asking what duties Harris would neglect if elected president.
In June 2018, Ernst questioned Trump's decision to suspend joint military exercises with South Korea. In July, she advocated that the United States continue the exercises in case talks between the US and North Korea did not continue.
In 2017, Ernst called Russia's behavior, including its annexation of Crimea and interference in U.S. elections, "totally unacceptable" and said Trump should "show strength against Vladimir Putin". The next year, she urged caution if the U.S. worked with Russia to "put a lid on Iran", saying that Russia would never be "a true friend or ally" to the U.S. She cited North Korea as another case where caution should be maintained when cooperating to make the world "a safer place". After the 2018 Russia-United States summit later that month, Ernst expressed hope that Trump had "delivered a strong message" that Russia would be punished for its annexation of Ukraine, support of Bashar al-Assad, and "aggressive actions in U.S. domestic policy", and that Trump had discussed Russia's actions in the Balkans.
In February 2024, Ernst and Grassley broke with most Senate Republicans to vote for a $95 billion foreign aid bill that included $60 billion to support Ukraine. Ernst said that Congress was "equipping America to push back against our adversaries' aggression" and that the bill was "critical to reversing President Biden's weakness on the world stage that has abandoned our partners, emboldened authoritarians, and put American lives at risk."
In 2015, Ernst said the U.S. should halt the admission of Syrian refugees, saying the United States needs a "thorough vetting process".
In 2018, after missile strikes against Syria, Ernst said that she would be "uncomfortable" if Trump wanted to commit more American troops there, saying it was secondary to fighting ISIS. After Trump announced the withdrawal of troops from Syria, Ernst was one of six senators to sign a letter expressing concern, calling the move a "premature and costly mistake" that would "embolden ISIS, Bashar al Assad, Iran, and Russia."
In 2019, Ernst was one of six senators to sign a bipartisan letter to Trump calling on him to "urge Turkey to end their offensive and find a way to a peaceful resolution while supporting our Kurdish partners to ensure regional stability" and arguing that leaving Syria without installing protections for American allies endangered both them and the US.
In March 2018, Ernst voted to table a resolution spearheaded by Bernie Sanders, Chris Murphy, and Mike Lee that would have required Trump to withdraw American troops either in or influencing Yemen within the next 30 days unless they were combating Al-Qaeda.
In November 2018, following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Ernst said that Saudi Arabia was a "great strategic partner" but that Congress should consider a legislative response due to the United States' commitment to human rights and the rule of law. She added that Trump should become involved "if there are indicators coming from those intelligence agencies". In December, Ernst warned that a resolution withdrawing U.S. support for the Saudi Arabia-led intervention in Yemen could complicate peace talks in Yemen and that, although Saudi Arabia should be punished for Khashoggi's death, "those consequences are I see as right now are separate from the discussion of the Saudis and their actions in Yemen engaging the Houthis".
