Antony Blinken

Today, as I sit with you and as we look at all of the terrain we've traveled these last four years, I think we hand over an America in a much, much stronger position. Having come through the economic crisis, having come through the health crisis, and having changed much for the better our position around the world because we've made those investments in alliances and partnerships stronger.

I'm not sure that I agree with the premise of the question, which is, from what I see, from what I read, from the analysis that I see, most Americans want us to be engaged in the world. They want to make sure that we stay out of wars, that we avoid conflict, which is exactly what we've done, but they want to see the United States engaged. And I think they understand that if we're not engaged,

I'm not sure that I agree with the premise of the question, which is, from what I see, from what I read, from the analysis that I see, most Americans want us to be engaged in the world. They want to make sure that we stay out of wars, that we avoid conflict, which is exactly what we've done, but they want to see the United States engaged. And I think they understand that if we're not engaged,

If we're not leading, then one of two things is likely. Someone else will do it in our place and probably not in a way that reflects our interests and our values. Maybe it's China, maybe it's some other country. Or maybe just as bad, no one does it. And then you're likely to have a vacuum that's filled by bad things before it's filled with good things. And inevitably, that comes back to bite us.

If we're not leading, then one of two things is likely. Someone else will do it in our place and probably not in a way that reflects our interests and our values. Maybe it's China, maybe it's some other country. Or maybe just as bad, no one does it. And then you're likely to have a vacuum that's filled by bad things before it's filled with good things. And inevitably, that comes back to bite us.

And from what I see, most Americans understand that, believe that, and want to see us leading and engaged.

And from what I see, most Americans understand that, believe that, and want to see us leading and engaged.

First, one of the things in this job that I've appreciated about it is I don't do politics, I do policy. Sure. So the real question is, what are the policies that can make a difference in the lives of Americans, can make them a little bit safer, a little bit more full of opportunity, a little bit healthier? That's what we're really focused on.

First, one of the things in this job that I've appreciated about it is I don't do politics, I do policy. Sure. So the real question is, what are the policies that can make a difference in the lives of Americans, can make them a little bit safer, a little bit more full of opportunity, a little bit healthier? That's what we're really focused on.

How do these policies that we're pursuing around the world translate into real benefits for the American people? In terms of an analysis of the election, really not my place to do it, and there are lots of different views on politics,

How do these policies that we're pursuing around the world translate into real benefits for the American people? In terms of an analysis of the election, really not my place to do it, and there are lots of different views on politics,

Again, I'm not at all sure that the election turned on any one or even collection of foreign policy issues. Most elections don't. But leaving that aside, Americans don't want us in conflict. They don't want us in war. We went through 20 years where we had hundreds of thousands of Americans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. People were tired of that.

Again, I'm not at all sure that the election turned on any one or even collection of foreign policy issues. Most elections don't. But leaving that aside, Americans don't want us in conflict. They don't want us in war. We went through 20 years where we had hundreds of thousands of Americans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. People were tired of that.

Understandably, well, when President Biden was vice president, he presided over the end of our engagement in Iraq in terms of the war there and ending that part of the conflict. As president, he ended the longest war in our history, Afghanistan. The investments that we've made in our NATO alliance, maybe we haven't done a good enough job explaining it. And that's the case, that's on me.

Understandably, well, when President Biden was vice president, he presided over the end of our engagement in Iraq in terms of the war there and ending that part of the conflict. As president, he ended the longest war in our history, Afghanistan. The investments that we've made in our NATO alliance, maybe we haven't done a good enough job explaining it. And that's the case, that's on me.

But one of the things that we try to explain to Americans who, Given that this is a generation, of course, that is far removed from World War II, nevermind World War I, the reason so many of the institutions, including NATO, came into being in the first place was to try to make sure that we never had another global conflagration after World War II.

But one of the things that we try to explain to Americans who, Given that this is a generation, of course, that is far removed from World War II, nevermind World War I, the reason so many of the institutions, including NATO, came into being in the first place was to try to make sure that we never had another global conflagration after World War II.

And the strength of an alliance like NATO is in the basic bargain the countries make in joining it. And that is an attack on one is an attack on all. That is the single most powerful way to prevent conflict in the first place, to deter aggression.

And the strength of an alliance like NATO is in the basic bargain the countries make in joining it. And that is an attack on one is an attack on all. That is the single most powerful way to prevent conflict in the first place, to deter aggression.

I think when we can put it in those terms and Americans can see that we're making investments in something like the NATO alliance precisely because we want to avoid conflict, we want to prevent war, we want to deter aggression, that's something that they sign on to, that they buy into.