There must be no illusion as to who will be in charge of U.S. foreign policy under Trump. In every single administration, it is the president himself who is ultimately in charge. At the same time, every president needs capable, experienced national-security hands around him — and throughout the U.S. government — in order to have any chance of practical success.
Barack Obama has indicated that he wants Trump to be a successful president, as opposed to a failed one. Foreign-policy conservatives can be at least as gracious. But in national security, the next administration can succeed only with the practical assistance of experienced professionals.
Obviously career civil servants, career diplomats, career intelligence officers, and career military will continue in their posts. There are also hundreds of top positions for any new president to fill in the departments of State and Defense, in intelligence agencies, and on the National Security Council staff. All presidents appoint political loyalists, and sometimes they have longstanding expertise in their area. But every administration also needs appointees willing to offer independent-minded advice, particularly when they think some specific proposal is mistaken or needs to be reworked. So if you are asked to serve, do so, and in a way that maintains your integrity at all times, just as you would under any administration.
Of course, the odds of success are much improved if cabinet members are also of the type who can provide serious, well-informed counsel directly to the president. Fortunately, several of the people publicly under consideration for these positions fit that description.
