Hillsdale College Hosts an Evening with Mike Pompeo
Former U.S. secretary of state talks faith, family, and freedom in wide-ranging speech
Former U.S. secretary of state talks faith, family, and freedom in wide-ranging speech
Hillsdale, Mich. — Mike Pompeo, former U.S. secretary of state, spoke at Hillsdale College’s Searle Center on Sept. 27. He addressed his time in the White House, the threats that face the U.S., and the American people’s resilience in the face of those threats.
“Character, that which you are trying to instill in students here at Hillsdale College, is the essence of the United States of America,” said Pompeo. “We have to marshal our authority to reach past our broken media and corrupt elites to return America to its moral core.”
Pompeo addressed the importance of strong families and how social media and technology, though they have enabled tremendous achievements, cannot substitute for family or faith — nor can the government.
“Our founders comprehended the horrific excesses that issued from the deification of emperors like Rome,” Pompeo said. “They understood that the wrath of the kings and queens of Europe unleashed when they believed themselves truly to be divine. Never idolize the state. This is the essence of Marxism.”
Pompeo addressed China and how America needs generals who understand their mission and reject politicization. He discussed the leftist domination of America’s institutions. Alongside personal faith, Pompeo argued school choice is an important part of reclaiming American greatness, encouraging Hillsdale College in its mission to restore the knowledge of our country’s founding documents and principles with its 1776 Curriculum.
“I am very confident in the choice the American people are going to make,” Pompeo said. “Don’t let Xi Jinping fool you. We are not in decline. Our Declaration of Independence has made a resilient people, and our Constitution has provided a framework by which those resilient people will continue to rise.”
The event was livestreamed, and the video link can be found here. Find photos here.