A former CIA analyst and member of the Biden administration has noticeably shifted from openly criticizing President Donald Trump to commendation.
Ned Price held various positions under Biden, including acting U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and senior advisor for the State Department. Notably, he resigned from the CIA early in Trump’s presidency, claiming he couldn’t “serve this administration in good faith” due to concerns about Trump’s handling of intelligence and national security.
Throughout Trump’s first term, Price repeatedly downplayed the former president’s foreign policy decisions, viewing them as harmful to national security. He expressed this sentiment in a tweet, suggesting that Trump’s actions project an alarming message to dictators globally.
However, it seems Price is now softening his critique. While he still labels Trump’s strategies as disjointed and reckless, he acknowledges that a recent article from the Washington Post highlighted the effectiveness of Trump’s approach, suggesting that future administrations could learn from it.
Price attributes Trump’s success to two key factors: his capacity to leverage American power and his willingness to brush off criticism. He points out Trump’s decisive use of U.S. resources, seeing it as the source of concrete foreign policy achievements. For example, he praised the ceasefire agreement brokered by Trump in Gaza, viewing it as a product of the administration’s assertive negotiation tactics.
Moreover, Price criticized the previous administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, arguing that they often exhibited excessive caution and failed to achieve the breakthroughs that Trump did. He suggested that Trump’s understanding of diplomacy is grounded in engaging with reality rather than ideals and emphasized the need for nations to negotiate with their adversaries instead of allies.
Although he acknowledges that the Biden administration has adjusted its approach to diplomacy, he commends Trump for tackling situations such as Iran’s nuclear ambitions with a more forceful stance. Price believes this aggressive strategy had short-term benefits for regional stability, contrasting it with previous administrations’ more restrained tactics.
Price describes Trump’s ability to navigate media criticism regarding foreign policy as a tactical advantage, arguing that this allows him to make significant moves that prioritize outcomes over perceptions. He suggests that Trump’s decision-making relies more on instinct than the traditional principles of Washington politics, and it appears he is reluctant to dismiss this aspect.
While Price still views some of Trump’s actions with skepticism, his begrudging acknowledgment of Trump’s achievements may resonate with some critics who are open to learning from the former president’s approach.
