Democrat foreign policy heavyweights endorse Harris in open letter

- ADVERTISEMENT -

Some of the most senior foreign policy leaders in the Democratic Party endorsed Vice President Harris’s bid for president on Tuesday, July 23, declaring in an open letter that she has more international experience than most recent incoming presidents and expressing confidence that she is the “best qualified person” to lead the country.

The more than 350 signatories to the letter, which was obtained by The Washington Post, add to voices within the Democratic Party seeking to cement Harris’s role as nominee following President Biden’s withdrawal from his reelection bid on Sunday. They include former national security advisers Susan Rice and Thomas E. Donilon; former secretaries of state John F. Kerry and Hillary Clinton; former secretaries of defense Chuck Hagel and Leon Panetta; and former top intelligence officials Michael Hayden and James Clapper.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken also praised Harris’s foreign policy qualifications on Tuesday after the letter was released, although he stopped short of a formal endorsement.

“I’ve seen her not only around the world, but I’ve seen her on the most critical foreign policy questions of our time, in the Situation Room at the White House, at the Oval Office with the president,” Blinken told reporters. “And my observation is, she’s a very strong, very effective and deeply respected voice for our country and around the world.”

The foreign policy dignitaries may carry especially significant weight because, before the vice presidency, Harris did not focus heavily on foreign policy, and she is still better known for her domestic initiatives. But the officials – some of whom, such as Richard Haass, served in Republican administrations – said that Harris’s work on the world stage as vice president has been extensive and substantive.

“I have been in the room with Vice President Kamala Harris as she chaired major international summits and can personally attest to the strength of her diplomatic skills,” said Wendy Sherman, who retired as deputy secretary of state last year and signed the letter.

Harris “has the judgment, experience and personal relationships with foreign leaders needed to succeed. She will always stand up to dictators and stand with our allies and partners. She is more than qualified and would be an extraordinary commander in chief,” Sherman said.

Harris on Monday secured pledges of support from a majority of Democratic National Convention delegates, meaning she is very likely to win the nomination next month.

The letter is signed by a long list of former ambassadors and other policymakers who have worked in the White House, State Department, Pentagon and elsewhere. Harris “has met with more than 150 world leaders and traveled to 21 countries as Vice President,” it notes. “She has been by the President’s side in the Oval Office and in the Situation Room managing high-stakes international crises and advising on the toughest decisions – from the U.S. response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, to the United States’ defense of Israel when Iran attacked in April 2024, to U.S. strikes against al-Qaeda leaders.”

The letter also contrasts her record with the isolationist inclinations of the Republican nominees, former president Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.

“I have been impressed with her strong, principled leadership on the world stage and her track record of advancing American interests, our values, and our alliances,” said Donilon, who was national security adviser under Obama. “I have been fortunate enough to serve four U.S. presidents and believe that the American people should be confident and proud to have Vice President Harris as our next commander in chief.”

“This letter came together in less than 24 hours, across many communities of national security and foreign policy leaders who were excited to show their support for Vice President Harris. It’s a big tent, and there’s room for everyone,” said Emily Horne, a former spokeswoman for the National Security Council and one of the people who organized the letter.

Harris’s most publicly visible foreign policy effort, an initiative to address the root causes of migration from Central America to the southern border of the United States, was politically controversial and has been used by Republicans to brand her as the “border czar,” which Harris’s backers say misrepresents her role. Aides note that she managed to attract $5 billion in pledges of private investments to help improve livelihoods in Central America, although she also delivered a tough “do not come” message to would-be migrants during her first international trip to Mexico and Guatemala in 2021.

Migration numbers spiked through much of Biden’s presidency, although they have plummeted in recent months.

Officials say that she has served as a key adviser to Biden on foreign policy issues, taking part in the president’s daily brief and often serving as an effective challenger of assumptions embedded in intelligence assessments and policy recommendations.