Since 2001, the U.S. Institute of Peace’s Passing the Baton conference has commemorated the peaceful transition of power from one administration to the next by gathering top foreign policy and national security leaders for candid, bipartisan discussions about the national security challenges facing the United States. Convening senior members from outgoing and incoming administrations, along with outside scholars and experts, Passing the Baton offers a platform to discuss the most pressing peace and security challenges that will define the next four years and reaffirms the importance of bipartisan problem-solving in foreign policy.

Why USIP?

USIP is a national, nonpartisan, independent institute, founded by Congress and dedicated to the proposition that a world without violent conflict is possible, practical, and essential for U.S. and global security. During U.S. presidential transitions, USIP’s nonpartisan platform and convening power promotes discussion and information-sharing among policymakers and other experts. For the past 20 years, the Institute has convened Passing the Baton to bring together national security leaders from both sides of the aisle to improve U.S. policymaking and honor the American tradition of a peaceful transfer of power.

Passing the Baton 2021: Securing America’s Future Together

Held in the wake of the violent January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, 2021’s Passing the Baton affirmed the peaceful transfer of power, the bipartisan character of American foreign policy, and the indelible role that democratic principles play in sustainable peace. USIP welcomed President Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and President Trump’s former National Security Advisor Ambassador Robert O’Brien for a discussion moderated by Secretary Condoleezza Rice, 66th Secretary of State and former National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush.

Read the event coverage

Passing the Baton 2017: America's Role in the World

USIP convened Passing the Baton with outgoing national security leaders in President Barack Obama’s administration and incoming national security leaders of President Donald J. Trump’s administration, along with officials of former administrations and other experts. The conference reviewed America’s role in an increasingly complex world and sought vital common ground on how to address threats to U.S. national interests and international peace.

Stephen J. Hadley welcoming remarks at the 2017 conference

A Conversation with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) at the 2017 conference

Passing the Baton 2009: Foreign Policy Challenges and the Opportunities Facing the New Administration

USIP hosted current and former U.S. foreign policy leaders, and nearly 1,900 others, for its second Passing the Baton at the transition from the administration of President George W. Bush to that of President Barack Obama. The conference examined U.S. policy challenges in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and nuclear proliferation, among others.

David Petraeus, Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

General David Petraeus of the U.S. Central Command speaks on Afghanistan at the 2009 Passing the Baton conference

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright addresses the 2009 conference on policies to prevent genocide.

Passing the Baton 2001: Challenges of Statecraft for the New Administration

USIP launched its first Passing the Baton in 2001, when President Clinton’s national security advisor Sandy Berger passed the baton to President Bush’s national security advisor Condoleezza Rice. The inaugural Passing the Baton began a USIP practice of hosting current, former, and incoming national security leaders to commemorate the peaceful transition of power between administrations. The 2001 conference considered the challenges of establishing a partnership with Russia, continued instability in the Balkans, and how to provide a more secure peace on the Korean Peninsula.

General Brent Scowcroft, United States National Security Advisor under U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush

Brent Scowcroft, national security advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush, speaks at the 2001 Passing the Baton.

Samuel Richard "Sandy" Berger, United States National Security Advisor for President Bill Clinton passing the baton to then-incumbent Condoleezza "Condi" Rice who served United States Secretary of State under of President George W. Bush

National Security Advisor Sandy Berger passes the baton to his successor, ​Condoleezza Rice, at the 2001 conference.

Latest Publications

What a Transitional Government in Haiti will Require to Succeed

What a Transitional Government in Haiti will Require to Succeed

Thursday, March 28, 2024

By: Nicolás Devia-Valbuena;  Keith Mines

After weeks of consultations, and amidst a near total breakdown of law and order in Haiti, a Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-led effort to create a new transitional governing council may be nearing completion. The council’s establishment would allow for the entry of a multinational security force that would then be able to join with the Haitian National Police and restore order. Some have suggested the inclusion of “enablers” for the new security force — air support, drones, intelligence. But to gain the trust of the Haitian people, the new governing council will need its own popular “enablers,” a systematic way to include many more sectors of Haitian society that are currently ignored or deliberately excluded from governance.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

Promoting Peace and Stability in the Americas through Religious Freedom

Promoting Peace and Stability in the Americas through Religious Freedom

Thursday, March 28, 2024

By: Knox Thames

The Western Hemisphere is generally known for protecting freedom of religion or belief. With a few notable exceptions, the countries of the region all enshrine religious freedom at the constitutional level and protect it through laws and policies. But in recent years, authoritarian governments in South America have increasingly viewed religious actors as threats to their regime’s survival and tried to control or crush independent religious activity.

Type: Analysis

Religion

Moscow Concert Hall Attack Will Have Far-Reaching Impact

Moscow Concert Hall Attack Will Have Far-Reaching Impact

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

By: Mary Glantz, Ph.D.;  Gavin Helf, Ph.D.;  Asfandyar Mir, Ph.D.;  Andrew Watkins

On Friday, terrorists attacked the Crocus City Hall outside Moscow leaving 140 people dead and 80 others critically wounded. Soon after, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The terrorist group, which is headquartered in Iraq and Syria, has several branches, including in South and Central Asia. Press reports suggest the U.S. government believes the Afghanistan-based affiliate of the Islamic State, ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), was behind the attack. The Biden administration has publicly noted that it had warned the Russian government of the terrorism threat in early March in line with the procedure of “Duty to Warn.”

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

What Does the U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution Mean for the Israel-Gaza War?

What Does the U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution Mean for the Israel-Gaza War?

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

By: Robert Barron

On March 25, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed Resolution 2728, calling for an “immediate” cease-fire in Gaza. The motion’s passage came after weeks of back and forth and posturing among the UNSC’s permanent and rotating members. The exact phrasing of the resolution and its relevance to the situation on the ground, as well as bilateral and multilateral relations — particularly U.S.-Israel ties — have been the subject of heavy public and media attention since Monday, raising questions about the resolution’s subtext, intent and limitations. USIP’s Robert Barron looks at these questions.

Type: Question and Answer

Global PolicyPeace Processes

Angela Stent on the Terror Attack in Moscow

Angela Stent on the Terror Attack in Moscow

Monday, March 25, 2024

By: Angela Stent

While ISIS has claimed responsibility for the devastating terror attack in Moscow, Putin has baselessly tried to shift the blame to Ukraine, says USIP’s Angela Stent: “[Putin] wants to use this to increase repression at home … and also to pursue a more aggressive path in Ukraine.”

Type: Podcast

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