America’s greatest achievements have never belonged to one political party. They belong to the nation—and often to the world. American leadership has required people capable of recognizing possibilities that established opinion considered unrealistic. Yet Washington too often allows political rivalries to overshadow genuine accomplishments. A diplomatic breakthrough should be judged by what it changes in history, not by the political identity of those who made it possible.
I have followed American leadership closely since my first visit to the United States in 2000. Beyond the country’s electoral battles, I remain convinced that America, when it exercises its power with wisdom, is an indispensable force for international stability. Its extraordinary influence comes not only from its economic and military strength, but also from its ability to bring nations together, challenge established assumptions, and make possible what others consider unattainable.
American history is marked by leaders who refused to accept the limits of their time. George Washington established a lasting precedent by relinquishing power. Abraham Lincoln preserved the Union and advanced emancipation. Franklin Roosevelt confronted economic collapse and global war, while Harry Truman and George Marshall understood that rebuilding Europe was essential to American security and international stability. Ronald Reagan later combined strategic pressure with negotiation as the Cold War approached its end.
That capacity to shape history has never belonged to one party. Bill Clinton’s diplomacy helped end the war in Bosnia. George W. Bush’s PEPFAR initiative transformed the global fight against HIV/AIDS, even as the Iraq War remains a profound subject of debate. Barack Obama pursued nuclear diplomacy with Iran. Joe Biden rallied Western allies behind Ukraine. Donald Trump achieved a historic diplomatic breakthrough through the Abraham Accords.
These achievements differ in their nature and consequences. None excuses an administration’s failures. But historical judgment requires the ability to recognize both.
Nor is this exceptional American capacity confined to the presidency. Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk transformed industries and the lives of billions. In foreign policy, Henry Kissinger’s opening to China and James Baker’s role in German reunification illustrate how individual vision can reshape the international order.
These figures were not always universally admired. Some remain deeply controversial. Yet disagreement with an individual cannot, by itself, invalidate the significance of what that individual accomplished.
Jared Kushner’s contribution to the Abraham Accords deserves to be considered in that same spirit.
The Abraham Accords broke a barrier to wider Arab-Israeli cooperation that had constrained Middle Eastern diplomacy for decades. I defended the Accords publicly because I know the courage it takes, in our region, to challenge deeply rooted hostility. I believe millions aspire to coexistence, even if not everyone feels free to defend it openly. The Accords challenged the conviction that our region was condemned to permanent confrontation.
From what I witnessed, Kushner was the linchpin of that achievement. His approach met considerable skepticism, including within the administration itself, where some dismissed it as simplistic. I believed in it because it challenged the conventional thinking that had constrained diplomacy for generations.
Peace must acknowledge the suffering and grievances of the past. But it cannot condemn future generations to remain prisoners of them. Peace is not simply an inheritance from history. It is a responsibility to those who will come after us.
I am not writing to defend Kushner against the allegations now being made. He is entirely capable of answering them himself. As a former newspaper publisher, he understands the importance of a free press. He is not above American law because he is President Trump’s son-in-law. But neither should he be placed below it.
The greater danger lies in allowing political rivalry to determine historical judgment. Election seasons can turn controversy into a weapon and individuals into symbols of everything their opponents wish to destroy. But legitimate scrutiny must never become a presumption of guilt, just as political hostility must never erase genuine achievement.
America’s independent institutions, its free press, and the principle of equal treatment before the law are among its greatest strengths. They must remain above political battles. When Washington loses the ability to distinguish accountability from partisan judgment, it risks something far more important than an individual’s reputation: its capacity to recognize and learn from its own successes.
The challenges ahead belong to neither Republicans nor Democrats alone. America’s responses will have global consequences.
With China, Washington must confront a formidable economic and technological rival without accepting confrontation as inevitable. With Russia, it must seek a durable settlement in Ukraine without confusing Vladimir Putin’s promises with guarantees—or excluding Ukraine and its European partners from decisions that will determine their security.
In the Middle East, the war with Iran—and any agreement that might follow—must be guided by the long-term interests of nations, not by short-term electoral calculations in Washington or Jerusalem. Israel’s security, the stability of the Gulf, and the future of the Iranian people demand more than tactical victories. The objective must be a credible, verifiable settlement that opens the possibility of a broader regional peace, perhaps one day even including Iran itself.
What is at stake is not the political fortune of an administration, but the destiny of an entire region and the generations that will inherit it.
At the same time, the United States must lead the revolution in artificial intelligence, ensuring that its extraordinary capacity for innovation serves humanity rather than merely the competition for power. American ingenuity has repeatedly transformed the lives of billions. The next technological revolution must be guided by an equally ambitious commitment to human progress.
These challenges require more than political victories or tactical calculations. They require vision, courage, and statesmanship. Above all, they require individuals capable of seeing possibilities where others see only obstacles—and a nation confident enough to recognize their achievements, regardless of political affiliation.
America cannot afford to become so consumed by the battles of yesterday that it loses the imagination necessary to shape tomorrow.
And neither can the world.
