Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) hosted a discourse on February 26, 2026, in the DeSantis Family Chapel between former U.S. Secretaries of State Mike Pompeo and John Kerry.
Education from Experts
The event launched PBA’s LeMieux Center for Public Policy 2026 Speaker Series. Each year, the Center brings world leaders and economic figures to the University to promote reasoned, thoughtful, and civil discourse on issues facing Florida, the nation, and the globe. Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux founded the Center in 2012 and moderates events to provide students and the community with the opportunity to hear from and question experts on bipartisan issues.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a former secretary of state address our community to share what really only the chief diplomat of the United States of America can,” LeMieux said.
America’s Chief Diplomat: The Pressure of the Job
Kerry was the 68th U.S. secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 under President Barack Obama and served as U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate under President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2024. Before joining the executive branch, he served as a U.S. senator. He is a decorated U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024.
Kerry viewed his time as secretary as an incredible honor. He stated some of the most important concerns during his time as secretary were the ones that received the least public attention. He cited the Obama administration’s international efforts to coordinate a way to treat and stop the spread of Ebola. He also highlighted the administration’s effort to combat a terrorist organization, the Islamic State Group (ISIS), and how those efforts aided later administrations in weakening the group.
Pompeo served as the 70th U.S. secretary of state from 2018 to 2021 under President Donald Trump and director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 2017 to 2018. He is a former congressman for Kansas and graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and served as a U.S. cavalry officer.
Pompeo defines the job of being secretary of state as being rewarding, but difficult. While he doesn’t know what history will look back on as his greatest accomplishment as secretary of state, he is proud of his part in confronting the growing challenge of the Chinese Communist Party and in delivering the Abraham Accords, which were a series of U.S.-brokered agreements aiming for more diplomatic relations in the Middle East.
“You get to fly around on this beautiful white and blue airplane around the world, and everyone wants to see you,” Pompeo said. “Not because you’re Mike, but because you’re the secretary of state for the greatest nation in the world.”
Different Approaches for America
Pompeo and Kerry discussed their different theoretical frameworks for dealing with international issues concerning Iran, China, Russia, and Latin America.
An example of these differences is their conflicting views when analyzing the nation’s current tensions with Iran. While Kerry finds the Iranian regime to be one of the harshest and most despicable governments, he believes their government may be ready to make a deal forgoing nuclear weapons. He fears if the Trump administration is too aggressive it might be a long time before both parties are able to come back to the negotiation table.
“Today the foreign minister put out a public tweet to the effect, they will never have a nuclear weapon,” Kerry said. “Now they need to negotiate that, prove that, and give us the certainty we need.”
On the other side of this issue, Pompeo said he does not care what the foreign minister of Iran promises, because he believes the regime is untrustworthy. While serving as secretary of state, Pompeo recommended increasing pressure on Iran, and he believes the same approach may be necessary to reduce the risk to the U.S. He referenced LeMieux’s initial question of whether the U.S would go to war by saying America is already at war with the regime, regardless of official military action.
Facing the Future with Optimism
Kerry is optimistic about America’s future with renewable energy. He is a firm believer that science will continue to expand the country’s power and influence around the global marketplace. Kerry believes America has already improved many lives through its entrepreneurial spirit, and the progress will continue. He is hopeful the U.S can improve health and security around the world.
“I’m optimistic because we are the United States,” Kerry said. “I’m optimistic because I know what we can do.”
Pompeo said Washington, D.C., may continue to be a bipartisan battle. While Pompeo is less optimistic about the federal government coming together, he believes America will continue to be great because of the giving and communal spirit in local areas. He described what makes America great as a company donating $500 for a Little League team’s uniform or a person cooking chili dinner for their church or synagogue.
“Most of the good things don’t happen in Washington, D.C.,” Pompeo noted. “They happen in places like this University. They happen in communities like this one.”
Learn more about PBA’s LeMieux Center for Public Policy at https://www.pba.edu/academics/schools/centers-of-excellence/lemieux/.
