As the United States is currently orchestrating several high-level diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, resolve the nuclear crisis in Iran, and rebuild Gaza, one constant stands out from all the ongoing meetings: the active and systematic participation of several American military chiefs in these missions.
A clear change in Washington’s diplomacy, accompanying the radical turn taken in international relations that the Donald Trump regime has been imposing on the rest of the world since its abrupt return to power in 2025, with evidence of effectiveness that is still struggling to emerge.
“We are facing a government that has chosen, consistently and deliberately, to conduct diplomacy through individuals whose authority is based on force rather than persuasion,” summarized Andrew Latham, a political science professor at Macalester College in Minnesota, and a researcher at the Institute for Peace and Diplomacy, a prominent think tank in Washington.
“The authoritarian message is clear: their presence at the negotiation table implies that an agreement is preferable to the other solution embodied by these military figures,” he noted.
This week, the U.S. Secretary of the Army, Daniel Driscoll, a veteran of the Iraq war and close to Vice President J.D. Vance, took part in the two days of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva to try to end the four-year war between the two countries. While his function is civilian, it carries the weight of the military institution he represents.
The talks, described as “tense” by the Russian camp, ended with “differing positions,” particularly on territorial issues, and with no hope for an imminent end to the conflict.
A few days ago, the head of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, participated in the first round of negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue with representatives of the mullah regime. The meeting took place in Oman, a “facilitator” of delicate diplomatic discussions in the Middle East. It continued on Tuesday in Switzerland, without any major breakthrough. Mr. Cooper also visited Jerusalem last month to discuss Gaza with Israeli diplomacy.
Finally, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Armed Forces, General Dan Caine, accompanied American diplomacy to Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago before the U.S. raids on Venezuela and the White House’s removal of its president, Nicolas Maduro.
An exception that has become the norm
“It is not uncommon for the U.S. government to involve senior officers in high-level diplomatic discussions, especially when the topics directly concern military security,” noted Spencer Bakich, director of the National Security Program at the Virginia Military Institute. Military contacts are essential in peacetime, as they allow countries to reduce uncertainty.
“Since World War II, American presidents have sometimes found it useful to appoint former officers to important diplomatic positions,” summarized historian and professor emeritus Andrew Bacevich. Generals George Marshall and Colin Powell, two secretaries of state, were among them. “These appointments aimed to provide in-depth knowledge of international political issues and great stability in the position. Is this the same case today? Not necessarily.”
Far from seeking the best, most competent, most skillful, and wisest negotiators, Donald Trump mainly wishes to surround himself with close and loyal associates of the ideological regime he embodies. A posture that guided his appointments within the American bureaucratic apparatus upon his return to Washington and, unsurprisingly, colors his management of international relations.
Concentration of power
“The traditional infrastructure – career diplomats, regional specialists who have spent decades building relationships – is systematically bypassed,” commented Andrew Latham. This is evidenced by the significant role played over the past year by two non-diplomats in American diplomacy: the populist’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and real estate developer Steve Witkoff, a friend of the president. “This says a lot about the concentration of power in foreign policy within this government.”
Beyond the obvious pragmatism that the military can sometimes bring to this new American diplomatic equation – Admiral Cooper has a deep knowledge of the Middle East – their presence at the table sends a clear message about the strengthening of American military presence in several regions and the martial tone that Donald Trump wants to set in relations with others, including allies.
“The uniform is an integral part of the message,” continued Mr. Latham. It is no longer traditional diplomacy. It is a policy of coercion, deployed not only against adversaries like Iran but also against allies in Europe and elsewhere.
However, while this shift from the language of mutual interest to intimidation, chest-thumping, and military pressure brings a new wind from the United States to the international scene, it remains to be seen whether Washington’s partners will decide to join or resist it. “This will be the determining question in foreign policy for the coming years,” concluded Mr. Latham.
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