This chapter is about the people who deal with other countries. It says the president should put his own staff in charge fast. It wants ambassadors replaced. It says treaties the Senate never approved should not be followed. It also sets out plans for China, Iran, the Middle East and the Arctic.
The document says “should”Who acts: President, Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 173 in the PDF
What the document says
“No one in a leadership position on the morning of January”
The full sentence reads that no one in a leadership position on the morning of January 20 should hold that position at the end of the day. The chapter adds that this does not imply foreign service and civil service officials should be excluded from key roles, and that the main suggestion is to have as many political appointees as possible in place at the start.
What the document actually says
“No one in a leadership position on the morning of January”
That sentence, in plain words
No one should be leading here at night who was leading that morning.
What this is about
This is about the day a new president starts. The book says every leader there should be replaced. It should happen within that one day.
The document says “should”Who acts: PresidentHow: internal managementp. 173 in the PDF
What the document says
“The next Administration should assert leadership over, and guidance to, the State Department by placing political appointees in positions that do not require Senate confirmation”
The chapter names senior advisors, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretaries and Deputy Assistant Secretaries, and says that given the department's size the number of political appointees should also be increased. It asks that non-confirmed senior appointees be chosen by the transition team or the personnel office and be in place on the first day.
What the document actually says
“The next Administration should assert leadership over, and guidance to, the State Department by placing political appointees in positions that do not require Senate confirmation”
That sentence, in plain words
Put political staff into the jobs that do not need a Senate vote.
What this is about
Some top jobs need a Senate vote. Many do not. The book says to fill those with the president's own people. It says that gives him more control.
The document says “should”Who acts: President, Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 174 in the PDF
What the document says
“It should both accept the resignations of all political ambassadors and quickly review and reassess all career ambassadors.”
The chapter notes that previous Administrations accepted only political ambassadors' resignations and let career ambassadors stay on, sometimes for years. It says the review should begin well before the first day, and separately that ambassadors in countries where policy would substantially change, or who have shown hostility to the incoming Administration, should be recalled immediately.
What the document actually says
“It should both accept the resignations of all political ambassadors and quickly review and reassess all career ambassadors.”
That sentence, in plain words
Let all the political ambassadors go. Then look hard at the career ones too.
What this is about
Ambassadors speak for the country abroad. Some are political picks. Others are career staff. The book says the political ones should all go. It says the career ones should be reviewed.
The document says “should”Who acts: Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 174 in the PDF
What the document says
“Ambassadors in countries where U.S. policy or posture would substantially change under the new Administration, as well as any who have evinced hostility toward the incoming Administration or its agenda, should be recalled immediately.”
The chapter asks that new ambassadors who support the President's agenda be put in place, drawn from political appointees, foreign service officers and civil service personnel with no predetermined proportion, and that political ambassadors with strong personal relationships with the President be prioritized for key posts.
What the document actually says
“Ambassadors in countries where U.S. policy or posture would substantially change under the new Administration, as well as any who have evinced hostility toward the incoming Administration or its agenda, should be recalled immediately.”
That sentence, in plain words
Call back any ambassador who seems against the new team. Call back those in countries where policy will change.
What this is about
An ambassador may not agree with a new president. The book says those should be called home. So should any in a country where the plan is changing.
The document says “should”Who acts: Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 174 in the PDF
What the document says
“the Secretary of State should order an immediate freeze on all efforts to implement unratified treaties and international agreements”
The chapter asks for a freeze on implementing unratified treaties and agreements, on resource allocation, foreign assistance disbursements, contracts and payments, and hiring, pending a review led by political appointees. It says the quality of the review matters more than its speed.
What the document actually says
“the Secretary of State should order an immediate freeze on all efforts to implement unratified treaties and international agreements”
That sentence, in plain words
Stop all work on treaties the Senate has not approved.
What this is about
The Senate must approve a treaty for it to count. Some are followed before that happens. The book says all such work should stop at once.
The document says “should”Who acts: Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 175 in the PDF
What the document says
“order an immediate stand-down on enforcement of any treaties that have not been ratified by the Senate”
The chapter says the department not only approves but enforces treaties the Senate has not ratified, and that the practice must be reviewed and most likely jettisoned. It asks that agreements which are really treaty commitments be identified with the Attorney General and White House Counsel, and that compliance be suspended pending transmittal to the Senate.
What the document actually says
“order an immediate stand-down on enforcement of any treaties that have not been ratified by the Senate”
That sentence, in plain words
Stop enforcing any treaty the Senate has not approved. Do it now.
What this is about
A treaty is only binding once the Senate says yes. The book says some are being enforced anyway. It says that should stop right away.
The document says “should”Who acts: President, Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 175 in the PDF
What the document says
“The next Administration should also move to withdraw from treaties that have been under Senate consideration for 20 years or more”
The chapter reasons that such treaties are unlikely to be ratified. It adds that where ratification of an old treaty still serves the national interest, the letter of transmittal should be updated for current circumstances rather than withdrawn.
What the document actually says
“The next Administration should also move to withdraw from treaties that have been under Senate consideration for 20 years or more”
That sentence, in plain words
Some treaties have sat in the Senate for 20 years. The next team should pull out of those.
What this is about
A treaty can wait years for a Senate vote. Some have waited over twenty. The book says those will never pass. It says to withdraw from them.
The document says “must”Who acts: Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 175 in the PDF
What the document says
“The Secretary of State must revoke most outstanding C-175 authorities that have been granted to other agencies during previous Administrations”
C-175 authority lets an agency other than the State Department negotiate an international agreement. The chapter says most such grants should be revoked, closely coordinated with the White House, but that Homeland Security should keep or regain its authority for negotiating bilateral and multilateral security agreements.
What the document actually says
“The Secretary of State must revoke most outstanding C-175 authorities that have been granted to other agencies during previous Administrations”
That sentence, in plain words
Other agencies were given power to make deals abroad. The Secretary must take most of it back.
What this is about
Only the State Department normally makes deals abroad. Other agencies were given that power too. The book says most of it should be taken back.
The document says “should”Who acts: Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 177 in the PDF
What the document says
“Visa sanctions under section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act”
Section 243(d) allows the suspension of visa issuance to countries that will not take back their nationals who have been ordered removed from the United States. The chapter says it should be quickly and fully enforced, that sanctions should cover immigrant visas, non-immigrant visas or all visas, and that they should stay until the country accepts all its removal-pending nationals and commits to future acceptance.
What the document actually says
“Visa sanctions under section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act”
That sentence, in plain words
One law lets America stop giving visas to a country. Use it fully.
What this is about
Some countries will not take back their own people. The law lets America stop giving them visas. The book says to use that power fully.
The document says “should”Who acts: Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 177 in the PDF
What the document says
“The United States should strictly enforce the doctrine of reciprocity when issuing visas to all foreign nationals.”
The chapter says the United States has given wide access to nationals of countries that do not respond in kind, including countries hostile to American interests, and that mandatory reciprocity would convey that no country has an unfettered right of access. It asks that the department be able to react to other countries' visa changes in real time.
What the document actually says
“The United States should strictly enforce the doctrine of reciprocity when issuing visas to all foreign nationals.”
That sentence, in plain words
Give a country's people the same visa terms it gives ours. No more than that.
What this is about
Countries decide who may visit them. Some make it hard for Americans. The book says America should match them. It would treat them the same way.
The document says “must”Who acts: Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 178 in the PDF
What the document says
“Reimplementation of the Remain in Mexico policy, safe third-country agreements”
The chapter says these and other measures addressing non-Mexican asylum applicants at the southern border must be day one priorities, describing them as key initiatives in effect at the end of the Trump Administration.
What the document actually says
“Reimplementation of the Remain in Mexico policy, safe third-country agreements”
That sentence, in plain words
Bring back the rule that made people wait in Mexico. Bring back the deals with other countries too.
What this is about
People who ask for asylum used to wait in Mexico. Their case was heard while they waited. That rule was dropped. The book says to bring it back on day one.
The document says “should”Who acts: President, State Department, NSCHow: internal managementp. 179 in the PDF
What the document says
“The U.S. government needs an Article X for China”
Article X refers to the anonymous 1947 article that set out the doctrine of containment toward the Soviet Union. The chapter says the State Department and National Security Council should draft an equivalent for China as a presidential mandate, and that it should be a deeply philosophical look at the challenge. It says a strategy of competing where necessary while cooperating where possible, including on climate change, has demonstrably failed, and that the issue is with the Communist dictatorship rather than the Chinese people.
What the document actually says
“The U.S. government needs an Article X for China”
That sentence, in plain words
America needs one big plan for China. It should be like the one written about the Soviet Union.
What this is about
In 1947 an article set out how to handle the Soviet Union. It shaped policy for years. The book says China needs the same kind of plan now.
The document says “must”Who acts: PresidentHow: not specifiedp. 182 in the PDF
What the document says
“continued U.S. involvement must be fully paid for; limited to military aid”
This chapter does not resolve its own position on Ukraine. It sets out one view favoring continued involvement including military and economic aid and the presence of NATO and American troops if necessary, a second holding that European nations should aid Ukraine's defense while the United States ends its involvement and presses for a negotiated settlement, and a third that asks first what is in the interest of the American people. The quoted words come from that third position. The chapter states that the common ground is that presidential leadership in 2025 must chart the course.
What the document actually says
“continued U.S. involvement must be fully paid for; limited to military aid”
That sentence, in plain words
If America stays involved, it must be paid for. It should be weapons only.
What this is about
The book does not settle what to do about Ukraine. It lays out three views. One says keep helping. One says stop. One says only help if it is paid for and limited.
The document says “should”Who acts: President, Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 189 in the PDF
What the document says
“The next Administration should embrace the view that NATO must acknowledge that it is, in part, an Arctic alliance.”
The chapter notes that with Finland and Sweden joining, every Arctic nation except Russia will be a NATO member, and says NATO has been slow to see the Arctic as a theatre it must defend. It asks that Arctic shipping lanes remain open to all commercial traffic and free of onerous fees, and says the north star of American Arctic policy should be national sovereignty.
What the document actually says
“The next Administration should embrace the view that NATO must acknowledge that it is, in part, an Arctic alliance.”
That sentence, in plain words
The next team should say NATO is partly an Arctic alliance.
What this is about
The Arctic is the icy sea at the top of the world. Russia has built bases there. The book says NATO should treat it as ground to defend.
The document says “should”Who acts: Secretary of StateHow: internal managementp. 185 in the PDF
What the document says
“the next Administration should build on the Trump”
The full passage asks the next Administration to build on the Trump Administration's diplomatic successes by encouraging other Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, to enter the Abraham Accords, and says related policies should include reversing what it calls the Biden Administration's degradation of the partnership with Saudi Arabia. It says relations with Saudi Arabia should be strengthened in a way that curtails Chinese influence.
What the document actually says
“the next Administration should build on the Trump”
That sentence, in plain words
The next team should build on what the Trump team did.
What this is about
The Abraham Accords are deals between Israel and some Arab states. The book wants more countries to join them. It names Saudi Arabia.
Recommendations on staffing and appointments, treaties and international agreements, visa policy and border-related diplomacy, and the regional strategies the chapter sets out.
The chapter's assessment of the department's culture, and much of its regional analysis where it describes a situation rather than asking for a specific change. Its recommendations on Africa, South Asia and Europe are only partly covered.
On Russia and Ukraine this chapter does not take a single position. It sets out three competing conservative views and says only that presidential leadership must chart the course. All three are recorded.
