President Trump has taken the unusual step of tapping military leaders for high-level diplomacy, sending the top U.S. commander in the Middle East to talks over Iran’s nuclear program and positioning the Army secretary as a key negotiator on ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Elisa Ewers, who served in national security positions in the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, said placing active-duty military leaders like Cooper in diplomatic roles shows how the Trump administration has devalued skilled diplomats and the tools of diplomacy in favor of an overreliance on the military to try to solve foreign policy challenges. The person said the relationship with the Ukrainians was the result of Driscoll’s ability to keep the dialogue going between negotiation sessions as well as his military perspective as a leader and former Army officer.
Author: Associated Press
Published at: 2026-02-07 22:20:24
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