Russia
Coats pressed President Barack Obama to punish Russia harshly for its March 2014 annexation of Crimea.[17] For this stance, the Russian government banned Coats and several other U.S. lawmakers from traveling to Russia.[17]
Iran and Iraq
Coats supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq under the pretext of uncovering Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.[19]
Coats opposed the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers – the U.S., U.K., Russia, France, China, and Germany.[20] He described Iran as the foremost "state sponsor of terrorism".[21]
