Antony Blinken

And I believe the answer is resoundingly yes.

And I believe the answer is resoundingly yes.

Look, we all change. We all age. I have a I have a four, soon to be five-year-old daughter. I was sitting with her the other day and now four years in, and she was saying, oh, daddy's wearing a white shirt. He's got on a blue suit. He has black shoes and he has gray hair. And I said, no, no, no, my hair's brown. And she said, no, it's gray. We all get older. We all change as we get older.

Look, we all change. We all age. I have a I have a four, soon to be five-year-old daughter. I was sitting with her the other day and now four years in, and she was saying, oh, daddy's wearing a white shirt. He's got on a blue suit. He has black shoes and he has gray hair. And I said, no, no, no, my hair's brown. And she said, no, it's gray. We all get older. We all change as we get older.

But again, what I've seen when it comes to judgment, when it comes to decisions that do right by the country. He's shown that judgment. He's made those decisions.

But again, what I've seen when it comes to judgment, when it comes to decisions that do right by the country. He's shown that judgment. He's made those decisions.

You know, my friend Tom Friedman wrote a few months ago a column that basically said, parents, don't let your sons and daughters grow up to be Secretary of State. It's a different world than it was when some of my predecessors were doing this.

You know, my friend Tom Friedman wrote a few months ago a column that basically said, parents, don't let your sons and daughters grow up to be Secretary of State. It's a different world than it was when some of my predecessors were doing this.

And I think at the heart of that is something I've seen over 32 years that I've been engaged in foreign policy, starting at the very beginning of the Clinton administration and now concluding with the Biden administration, which is that Now, and in recent years, there's been a greater multiplicity, a greater complexity, a greater interconnectedness of problems than ever before.

And I think at the heart of that is something I've seen over 32 years that I've been engaged in foreign policy, starting at the very beginning of the Clinton administration and now concluding with the Biden administration, which is that Now, and in recent years, there's been a greater multiplicity, a greater complexity, a greater interconnectedness of problems than ever before.

And they're happening at a speed that we've never experienced before. And as a result, It's a very different challenge, but some basic fundamentals haven't changed, at least for me. And yes, it does go to the lessons that I learned from my stepfather, from my father and other relatives, almost all of whom came to this country

And they're happening at a speed that we've never experienced before. And as a result, It's a very different challenge, but some basic fundamentals haven't changed, at least for me. And yes, it does go to the lessons that I learned from my stepfather, from my father and other relatives, almost all of whom came to this country

as immigrants, as refugees, fleeing oppression, fleeing the case of my stepfather, the war and the Holocaust that eliminated his entire family, and each in one way or another finding themselves on our shores. And having seen the United States as the last best hope, having come here, rebuilt their lives, and flourished because this is the country that we are.

as immigrants, as refugees, fleeing oppression, fleeing the case of my stepfather, the war and the Holocaust that eliminated his entire family, and each in one way or another finding themselves on our shores. And having seen the United States as the last best hope, having come here, rebuilt their lives, and flourished because this is the country that we are.

My stepfather came to the United States after surviving the Holocaust, eventually made his way here, and even served in the Kennedy administration. And you could become an American by special act of Congress, which he was. So Congress passes an act and he became an American citizen. And I have, my family has that act. And he used to say, never forget, I'm an American by choice.

My stepfather came to the United States after surviving the Holocaust, eventually made his way here, and even served in the Kennedy administration. And you could become an American by special act of Congress, which he was. So Congress passes an act and he became an American citizen. And I have, my family has that act. And he used to say, never forget, I'm an American by choice.

You're an American by accident of birth. And I take that very seriously because what it means to me is there's an extraordinary responsibility that comes with being an American, a responsibility that comes from being part of the greatest country on earth.

You're an American by accident of birth. And I take that very seriously because what it means to me is there's an extraordinary responsibility that comes with being an American, a responsibility that comes from being part of the greatest country on earth.

And if you're in public service, as I've had the incredible privilege of being for 32 years, a responsibility to try to use that in the best way that you can to do better by your fellow citizens, but also people around the world. And every place I've been around the world, everything I've heard, even with criticism, intense criticism of our policies, is people want the United States involved.

And if you're in public service, as I've had the incredible privilege of being for 32 years, a responsibility to try to use that in the best way that you can to do better by your fellow citizens, but also people around the world. And every place I've been around the world, everything I've heard, even with criticism, intense criticism of our policies, is people want the United States involved.