When Ron DeSantis announces his presidential candidacy, he should do one more thing: pledge to nominate Donald Trump as secretary of state. Here’s why.
Democrats sputter with cognitive dissonance when anyone points out that Vladimir Putin felt free to invade Russia’s neighbors during every 21st-century U.S. presidency save one: Donald Trump’s. It’s awfully inconvenient that the “warmonger” Trump brokered the historic Abraham Accords, neutered North Korea, and embarrassed NATO countries into ponying up more dough in support of the alliance.
Trump contained Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. He started no new wars—a singular feat among recent presidents.
In short, Trump was the most successful foreign policy president since at least Ronald Reagan, and arguably since Richard Nixon.
So it would not be unfitting for Trump to be America’s secretary of state—our ambassador to the world—in the next Republican administration.
That would be good for the United States, the world, and the cause of peace. And if that weren’t enough: it would annoy all the right people.
Using government power to advance the common good while simultaneously ticking off the Left? That sounds like something Ron DeSantis would do—and in fact does exceedingly well.
And that is why the Florida governor, when he announces his candidacy for the presidency, should also announce that—despite whatever may be said during the primary campaign—if elected, he will nominate Donald Trump as his secretary of state.
DeSantis would be free to do what he does best—battle and defeat the woke deep state—while turning Trump loose to do what he does best: defend American interests and peace throughout the world.
Fair or not, the deep state will never leave Trump in peace to do what needs to be done domestically. He carries too much baggage. But that baggage is largely irrelevant on the international stage. By DeSantis’ appointing Trump as America’s chief diplomat, each would be deployed to his comparative advantage.
DeSantis should boldly proceed thus even if—especially if—the New York grand jury moves to indict Trump. This would create great affection for him among Trump loyalists. It would be a resounding “f-you” to the deep state. The party base would be enthralled, it would shore up DeSantis’ image as a fearsome warrior against the forces of darkness—and it would be the right thing to do to foster world peace.
Such an announcement would create an irrevocable pledge that could unite the GOP’s factions after what may well be a brutal primary battle. It will help DeSantis with always-Trumpers who may be grudging in their support. And it would help ease the blow to Trump’s ego and create a path towards claiming redemption through his emergence as America’s elder statesman to the world.
Trump would play the role to the hilt—for his own good, surely, but also for the cause of world peace.
If Trump accepted DeSantis’ offer, it would not only win over Trump’s voters for DeSantis; it would also assuage Trump-hesitant voters that Trump would not be president but would instead be out working to build on his biggest foreign policy accomplishments. This should convince at least some suburban moms that voting Republican would be ok (even if you still can’t tell your friends).
DeSantis has—unwittingly, most likely—already laid the groundwork for such a bold move. In response to Tucker Carlson‘s recent queries to Republican presidential candidates on their views on the Ukraine War, DeSantis gave a response that, while not identical to Trump’s, aligned with Trump’s call for negotiations and against endless war. By making such an announcement, DeSantis has built a bridge between his foreign policy views and Trump’s. And that position is right, just, and potentially quite politically popular.
And it may be just the way to steer the forthcoming primary-season acrimony towards a resolution that would be good for Ron DeSantis, good (enough) for Donald Trump, and good for the Republican Party. Most important, a DeSantis-Trump foreign policy team dedicated to peace through strength and against forever wars would be salutary for America and the world.
John Soriano started his professional life at New York’s Simpson Thacher & Bartlett before working in law and compliance in corporate America, most recently as Chief Compliance Officer at Celgene Corporation and Insmed Incorporated, both pharmaceutical companies. Follow him on Twitter and GETTR @sorianojohnd.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
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