Gov. Abigail Spanberger just got back from a week-long trade mission to Europe, where she ” met with global business leaders to strengthen Virginia’s trade relationships and position the Commonwealth for future investment,” per her press release (see below). Gov. Spanberger also spoke to France 24, and had some interesting things to say – on the broken U.S. campaign finance system, the Israel/Gaza war and its impact on U.S. politics, on whether Russia or the U.S. poses a bigger threat to European elections, and on the “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban in Virginia schools. Check out the videos, below, along with highlights.
First, on the badly broken U.S. campaign finance system and whether we’ll have a free-and-fair election in November, Gov. Spanberger said:
- “It is absolutely the case that there is outsized influence because of the way that campaign spending occurs in the United States. We have a true and complete need for campaign finance reform…the problem really occurs in that there can be as we call it in the US dark money…the reality is that you know a billionaire can give so much money to some dark money group and they can negate that work [by candidates/campaigns]. And it is a broken system…ideally we’ll have the House and the Senate and they can pass [campaign finance reform]… and send it to the president’s desk whether he chooses…ideally they will be ready to have that bill pass again and go to a Democratic president’s desk once we are past our 2028 elections.”
Reponding to a question about whether “Israel and the Palestinian cause…tear[s] apart the Democratic Party more than progressives versus moderates,” Gov. Spanberger responded as follows. I second everything that she says – this is an extremely complex issue, of course, going back a century, pretty much; that Palestinians and Israelis have both suffered tremendously during this conflict; that there’s not a “binary choice” here (or simplistic solutions, 100% blame on one side or the other, etc. – definitely do NOT trust anyone who puts all the blame on one side or the other, because that’s just WILDLY false, unfair, ignorant bullsh**, etc.); that we have to separate out horrible leaders and governments from entire peoples; etc. Very well said by Gov. Spanberger, who actually knows what she’s talking about on foreign policy, unlike 99% of people on social media…
“I think it unfortunately the an issue that is so complicated has become one that really does create divisions across the country not just within political parties. My background is one of national security and I spent some years in Congress serving both on the Foreign Affairs Committee and on the House Intelligence Committee, and certainly I think what sometimes gets lost in the conversation is that one can disagree with adamantly the actions the choices of, in this case a prime minister, one can find them to be atrocious, and yet that does not need to be an indictment of a whole people. And certainly I think that sometimes we see a conversation that is poised as though it’s binary. One can be against ongoing bad choices and aggressive efforts from the Netanyahu government and also recognize that the plight of people who are suffering – the Palestinian people who are suffering, the Israeli people who are suffering – that it isn’t a binary choice. And frankly, the more people who are recognizing that the ongoing negative efforts of a bad leader is the thing that is at the heart of creating an ever more intractable problem, that he is the one that from an issue of policy that that he’s the one that we disagree with. And aid to the Palestinian people and those who need it is an essential priority and has been for years for Americans, as well as ending conflicts in the Middle East. Now, of course, it’s a challenging time because our own president has arbitrarily started yet another conflict in the Middle East with no strategy and no plan to exit it. And so I think Americans more than anyone at this time, recognize that it’s necessary to separate the people from leadership that that doesn’t represent their values.”
On the question about whether Europeans should “worry more about Russian or US meddling in upcoming elections,” Gov. Spanberger said the following (which I *strongly* agree with, although I’m not as confident about her optimism that we’ll ge through this or ever lead the world again by example…):
“I will say as as a proud American, the fact that that question is a relevant one is one that I find distressing, but I will answer it. The reality is is that when we look at the long-term impact and which countries endeavor to undermine democracy, it’s Russia, it’s China, it’s Iran. And the United States needs to live and abide by our democratic values by setting an example, a clear example for what it looks like to be a strong democracy. And we have faced our own challenges. And so American efforts should be focused solely and completely on ensuring the strength of our own democratic elections this coming November – and should not be oriented towards towards any other country. So the short answer to your question, it is always and should always be Russia that is the one well, ideally we’ll get to a place where that’s not the case, but in this moment in time it is Russia that continues to create the threats. And the fact that we are uh creating some challenges in the international space as a nation is something that’s regrettable. But the American people will get through this, demonstrate the strength of our own democracy and continue to lead by example.”
Finally, on Virginia’s “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban (which seems to make a lot of sense), Gov. Spanberger said:
“…my teenage children disagree with me…we do have, we call it a bell-to-bell ban. And that’s newer for Virginia. We have had a ban during the school day, but, students were typically permitted to use their cell phones during lunch or at various times if the teacher said it was okay. I signed a bill this summer that, starting in September or late August, that students will have from the bell in the morning to the bell when school ends no use of their cell phones. And my daughters disagree with my policies on this one, but what I’m hearing from teachers and other parents of course is that taking that distraction out of the classroom matters as it relates to overall signing up for social media. We are continuing to try and make sure that the policy works as intended. But that also requires better governance from our social media companies that frankly still continue to make it too easy for younger people who can know how to get around the rules to misrepresent their age online. But I’m proud of the work that we’ve done as it relates specifically to our schools, because that’s a valuable change and one that is very enforcable in each of our schools across our Commonwealth.”
Governor Spanberger Returns from International Trade Mission to the United Kingdom, Italy, and France
Mission Builds on Governor’s Efforts to Grow Virginia’s Economy and Expand the Commonwealth’s Agricultural Trade
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today concluded her week-long international economic trade mission to the United Kingdom, Italy, and France, where she met with global business leaders to strengthen Virginia’s trade relationships and position the Commonwealth for future investment. The Governor was joined throughout the mission by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier, and representatives from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC), and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).
“Virginia competes on a global stage, and this week, we made our case directly to the leaders deciding where to invest and grow,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “At every stop and in every meeting, the message was the same: Virginia has the workforce, the infrastructure, and the partnership mindset that serious, long-term investors are looking for. In six months, we have already brought more than $5 billion in new business investment and more than 3,000 new jobs to communities across the Commonwealth. This mission was about strengthening the connections that will keep that momentum going.”
Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery, who participated in portions of the mission, echoed the Governor’s focus on building durable relationships with international companies.
“These conversations don’t end when we get back to Richmond,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery. “Every meeting we had this week plants a seed, and our job now is to follow through and make sure that when these companies are ready to make a decision, Virginia is the easy and trusted choice. That kind of follow-through is part of what makes Virginia a top state for business and a place where world-class companies continue to invest.”
The Governor also used the mission to advance Virginia’s agricultural and forestry trade relationships abroad, building on the effort to develop the Commonwealth’s first-ever Farm and Forest Prosperity Plan, which the Governor launched last month to create a strategic roadmap for strengthening these industries.
“Agriculture and forestry are Virginia’s number one and number three private industries, and our farmers and foresters compete in a global marketplace,” said Governor Spanberger. “That’s why, at every opportunity, I made the case for Virginia farm and forest products directly to the people who decide what ends up on shelves and in supply chains. Just as we are building a strategic roadmap for these industries at home through our Farm and Forest Prosperity Plan, we are just as strategic about opening doors for our producers abroad.”
Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier joined the Governor for portions of the mission focused on expanding export markets for Virginia’s agricultural and forest products.
“Access to international markets is essential for our agriculture and forestry industries,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Katie Frazier. “The discussions we had and the relationships built during this week are critical to the promotion and global visibility of the incredible products that the Commonwealth has to offer. I look forward to continuing the work as we return home to solidify Virginia as a leader in the global marketplace for agricultural and forest products.”
Throughout the mission, the Governor and delegation had the opportunity to cultivate government relationships, including meeting with Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) President Massimiliano Fedriga while in Italy. During the meeting, Governor Spanberger and President Fedriga committed to building upon the 2025 MOU between FVG and Virginia by working together in the areas of forestry, wine research, and cultural exchanges. This partnership began with a 2025 MOU between FVG and Virginia.
While in Paris, the Governor also hosted a Virginia Reception to showcase the Commonwealth as a premier destination for trade, investment, tourism, agriculture, food & beverage, and innovation. More than 50 attendees — including representation from French and Virginia companies, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and France’s Ministry of Agriculture — enjoyed Virginia products like award-winning wine from Michael Shaps Wineworks of Charlottesville and Virginia smoked scallops supplied by the Wanchese Fish Company of Suffolk. Governor Spanberger delivered remarks highlighting Virginia as a top destination for tourism, business, and agricultural partnerships.
This is the first international trade mission of the Spanberger administration and reflects the Governor’s broader focus on economic growth since taking office, including more than $20 million in GO Virginia funding, the reopening of the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program for producers affected by Hurricane Helene, and Virginia’s recent rise to #3 in CNBC’s “America’s Top States for Business” rankings.
“This was a productive trade mission with long-term goals for Virginia,” said Governor Spanberger. “We continue to do the steady work of building relationships and promoting our Commonwealth because that’s how we turn a good meeting today into a valuable investment in Virginia and our workforce a year or two from now. That’s how we keep building a stronger, more affordable Virginia for every family.”
