Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah B. Rogers invoked shared British-American traditions and Brexit in a call for Britain to assert its national character and reject decline.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Sarah B. Rogers, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, addressed the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Conference in London, England, on Thursday, urging Britain to embrace its national character and regain its greatness. She drew parallels between Brexit and the American Revolution, emphasizing shared British-American values and traditions. 📺 DETAIL: Drawing on her family’s roots in Yorkshire and her descent from Mayflower governor William Bradford, Rogers compared Brexit to the Pilgrims’ decision to leave Europe in order to preserve their identity. She said Brexit voters sought to overturn what she described as a “fake consensus” on issues including immigration, energy, and development, but argued that many of the changes they expected had not materialized. Referring to criticism of Britain as the “Yookay,” she acknowledged concerns over free speech while insisting the country’s national character remained resilient, citing George Orwell’s essay The English People. “Our language, our civic associational norms, our laws and our intuitions about greatness—about what has made our civilization great and about what it means to be great again—they come from you,” she said, adding: “Britain created the rights and freedoms it bequeathed to America through the greatness of her people alone. We share them with you, and we’ve got plenty to lend, if stocks run low.” 💬 KEY QUOTE: “Britain will be great again because her people already are,” Rogers declared. 🎯 IMPACT: Rogers’ remarks are likely to resonate with those advocating for a stronger post-Brexit Britain, while also serving as a critique of the country’s current leadership, and policies that have failed to deliver on Brexit’s potential. Her comments echo those of President Donald J. Trump during King Charles III’s recent state visit to America, where he also emphasized the shared heritage of Britain and America. |
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