While attending the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican, former Secretary of State John Kerry once again proved that the Obama-era foreign policy establishment refuses to take any accountability for its failures. In a testy exchange with MSNBC’s Chris Jansing, Kerry scrambled to defend his legacy after being confronted with one of the most embarrassing foreign policy blunders of the last decade: the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia—on his watch.
Jansing barely had time to ask the question before Kerry jumped in, trying to rewrite history. “We did not allow them to annex it,” Kerry claimed, clearly uncomfortable. But history tells a different story. Under the Obama-Biden administration, Russia rolled into Crimea with barely a slap on the wrist. There were no meaningful consequences—just “strongly worded” press releases and empty diplomatic gestures. That passive approach emboldened Vladimir Putin, setting the stage for the years of conflict that followed.
Attempting to spin it further, Kerry weakly argued, “Under international law, that does not make it theirs.” Unfortunately, saying something is illegal doesn’t stop a dictator who’s not afraid of an administration that governed through appeasement and apology.
Then came the real tell: when asked about President Trump’s pursuit of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine—a bold, results-oriented move that could finally bring stability to the region—Kerry scoffed. “I personally don’t agree with putting that out there on the table,” he said, suggesting that Trump’s strategy of transparency and strength was somehow a misstep.
That wasn’t all. Kerry continued his confused, meandering critique of Trump’s efforts, saying, “Who knows what the parties will accept… announcing where you’re coming down as a mediator ahead of time puts everybody in a very difficult position.” It’s the same tired thinking that allowed America’s adversaries to thrive under Democrat leadership—avoid commitment, avoid leadership, and avoid taking a stand.
But in a bizarre turn, Kerry suddenly pivoted and half-heartedly praised President Trump, saying, “I applaud the president for pursuing this… He wants to have peace. I believe that.” A nice sentiment, but it rang hollow coming from the man whose administration oversaw one of the most disastrous foreign policy failures in recent memory.
Of course, Kerry couldn’t leave without virtue-signaling on his favorite topic: climate change. He praised the late Pope Francis’s stance on the issue, lamenting the “human challenge of getting people to do things.” Because in Kerry’s world, solving climate change means lecturing working-class Americans while jet-setting across the globe in private planes.
The entire interview showcased what conservatives have known all along—Democrats like Kerry are quick to criticize real leadership, even as they run from their own record of weakness and failure. While President Trump is actually working to bring peace and restore American strength on the world stage, Kerry is still trying to spin away the mess he left behind. No wonder the American people chose a leader who puts America First.
