ALI Conversation with Secretary Madeleine Albright

ALI members only event
ALI hosted an event with Madeleine Albright, Former Secretary of State. She was interviewed by Mona Sutphen, Deputy White House Chief of Staff under President Obama. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan and Norma Torres joined the discussion.

Albright emphasized that America's global strength depends on partnerships and the structures that support it. American power has to be part of a system of working with others and deriving power from those alliances. She then discussed the importance of integrating domestic policy with foreign policy, saying the two are on a spectrum and restoring America's global power should start by addressing what needs to be done domestically and building from there. Albright said that she would advise a Biden Administration to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord as one the first actions it takes.  Climate change is an issue that will create jobs and drive domestic competitiveness as well as necessitate working with global allies and partners. The private sector needs to be brought into the climate discussion at the beginning, not after the fact.

The new Administration will need to deal with China early on, and needs to understand the complexity of bilateral relationship. The U.S. needs to engage in statecraft, understanding that we can treat China as an adversary in some situations, like the South China Sea, and a potential partner, on issues like climate. When asked if the U.S. will be able to regain the trust of its allies, Albright responded that while it will be challenging, it is important to make mending alliances a top priority, because the U.S. will need its allies to accomplish both its domestic and global goals.