"As the personal trajectories of Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi diverge, so too does the focus of their leaders..." — Antony Blinken

The National Security Act of 1947 - which established the National Security Council - laid the foundation for a deliberate, multitiered process, managed by the national security adviser, to bring government agencies together to debate and decide policy.

Mr. Trump seems more at home with Middle Eastern autocrats than he does with European democrats.

I was the first senior American official to meet with Riyadh's dynamic Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the Saudi intervention in Yemen in 2015. I reiterated the United States' commitment to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi aggression and to help press the Houthis back to the bargaining table.

Interests change and diverge; values do not.