Kurt Campbell

Kurt Campbell is an American diplomat, Asia policy specialist, and co-founder/chairman of The Asia Group. He served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State in the Biden administration after previously serving as the White House National Security Council coordinator for the Indo-Pacific and as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Obama administration.

Iran Crisis Weakens U.S. Leverage Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit

Former Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell argues in a conversation with Elizabeth Economy that the Iran crisis has weakened the U.S. position in Asia just as President Trump meets Xi Jinping in Beijing. Campbell says the conflict has diverted military capacity and political attention from the Indo-Pacific, exposed limits in allied support, and given China an opening to test U.S. commitments, especially on Taiwan. Economy shares his emphasis on allies but is less convinced that Beijing can convert U.S. disorder into lasting strategic advantage.

Hoover InstitutionMay 21, 202621 min read