On Saturday, September 27, Governor Cuomo decided to take another trip out of the country. In early August, Cuomo visited Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, but unlike some of his previous trips, this time he visited a more controversial, slightly more dangerous area of the world, Afghanistan.

Although some viewed this endeavor as bold and unusual, some also that feel Cuomo took this opportunity to extend his reach for the country, state, and his own political gains.

The first point on his political agenda was a stop in Washington D.C. After arriving, he was joined by the Under Secretary of Defense, Brad Carson, and three other Governors; Bill Haslam of Tennessee, Brian Sandoval of Nevada, and Jay Nixon of Missouri. Here, they would be informed of the security setup for their trip out of the states.

His second stop was the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Here, he would visit the men and women who were injured serving our country, many of whom were stationed out of Fort Drum, originating from the Hudson Valley and New York City.

At first, the motives of the Governors were unsure, but Cuomo cleared the air with an interview with the Wall Street Journal. As a response to the latest attacks by the Islamic States, Cuomo stated “It is now abundantly clear that this terrorist threat, even though it has been quiet for 13 years—that this is the new normal.” In order to educate himself, he believed it necessary to experience the government’s international spectrum.

Upon his return to New York, Cuomo held four events to bolster the state’s essential anti-terrorist programs.Although some believe Cuomo’s leap into international politics was for his own political gain and perhaps future presidential aspirations, it is clear that he has New York State’s safety in mind.

Cuomo said with New York a target for terrorists, the state must have the best anti-terrorism plan in the country. “You want to say New York is one of the top targets? Then I’m telling you that we’re going to be the most prepared. And we are going to design the most sophisticated homeland security system ever designed. If we’re saying the terrorists are becoming more sophisticated, well, we’ll become more sophisticated and we’ll stay one step ahead.”