By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews
As Maryland’s 6th Congressional District race begins to take shape, Republican candidate Chris Burnett is emphasizing his national security background following recent U.S. military strikes against ISIS targets in Syria.
In a press release issued Saturday, Burnett — a retired Marine Corps officer and national security lawyer — endorsed the U.S. response to ISIS attacks on American and partner forces late last year, calling continued military pressure necessary to protect deployed U.S. personnel.
Burnett referenced his prior service with Combined Joint Task Force–Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), the U.S.-led coalition formed to defeat ISIS.
“Having served in the counter-ISIS mission with CJTF-OIR, I understand firsthand how dangerous this region continues to be and how critical it is to protect U.S. forces deployed there,” Burnett said in the statement released by his campaign.
The comments followed announcements by U.S. Central Command that U.S. and allied forces conducted large-scale strikes across Syria as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, an ongoing military campaign launched in response to a December 2025 ISIS attack near Palmyra that killed two American service members and a U.S. civilian interpreter.
According to CENTCOM, the operation began on December 19, 2025, targeting more than 70 ISIS positions across central and eastern Syria. Additional strikes were carried out on January 10, 2026, with U.S. officials stating the objective was to degrade ISIS leadership, logistics networks, and operational capacity.
Although ISIS lost territorial control in 2019, the group continues to operate as an insurgent force in Syria and Iraq. The United States maintains roughly 900 troops in Syria focused on counter-ISIS operations and force protection — a posture that has remained largely consistent across administrations.
Burnett’s statement adopts a more assertive tone than official military briefings, framing the strikes as part of a broader deterrence strategy rather than a narrowly defensive response. His remarks align with a wing of Republican candidates who argue sustained military pressure is necessary to prevent an ISIS resurgence, even as Congress continues to debate the scope and authorization of U.S. military involvement overseas.
Maryland’s 6th Congressional District — which includes portions of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties — contains significant military and defense-adjacent communities, including areas near Fort Detrick. While foreign policy typically ranks below economic and infrastructure concerns for voters, national security experience has historically carried weight in contested primaries.
Burnett’s campaign has not yet released a detailed foreign-policy platform addressing troop levels, congressional oversight, or long-term U.S. engagement in the Middle East.
MDBayNews is in contact with the Burnett campaign to schedule an interview for further discussion of his national security positions and broader policy agenda.
Editor’s note: This article was adapted from initial reporting by Thunder Report and has been updated for MDBayNews’ MD-06 election coverage.
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