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In a special briefing hosted by the Atlantic Council, 2022 Nobel Prize Nominee Keith Krach and Biden “Asia Chief” Kurt Campbell discussed Building Alliances with the “Trust Principle.”

This video includes a few highlights from the 40-minute conversation, which can be viewed here:

During the discussion, Campbell offered enthusiastic support for the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy.

Atlantic Council President Fred Kempe described the event as a rare briefing featuring two people at the forefront of government and private sector efforts to bring together U.S. allies and partners to meet the greatest challenges of our time.

“Krach is a leader in uniting like-minded stakeholders through a series of trust principles under the ‘Trust Doctrine’ to drive change, for which he has been nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. I can’t think of a more important time to be doing this kind of work. The Atlantic Council is delighted about the Institute’s official launch,” said Fred Kempe. “The Krach Institute is the first institution of its kind focused on Tech Statecraft, a new model of transformational diplomacy that integrates high-tech strategies with foreign policy tools and national security to ensure trusted technology is used to advance freedom.”

Campbell, a leading U.S. diplomat for the past 30 years, said State Department leaders look forward to building on their relationship with the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, which opened April 5th, 2022, under the leadership of Krach as Advisory Board Chairman. Campbell offered White House support for the Institute and its mission of ensuring that leaders of the United States and like-minded nations harness critical emerging technologies to advance freedom.

“For those in our audience who don’t understand the challenges of coming into government, particularly as there’s been a transition in parties, Keith is one of the few people that reached out to me when I was appointed to offer counsel and advice,” said Campbell. “The person who sat down with me and explained what the challenges would be like once coming into the National Security Council was Keith Krach.”

“I am grateful for this opportunity to talk about the Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue you founded and are going to help lead. I’m just thrilled that you’re taking this on,” said Campbell. “One of the rarest things in government is continuity of programs because when a new government comes in, they think I’ve got a better idea and I am going to do it differently. Almost all the work that Keith did at the State Department, including trusted networks, the Blue Dot initiative, etc., have been followed on in [the Biden] Administration and, in many respects, that’s the highest tribute.”

Campbell remarked that the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy plays a critical role in helping the U.S. and our allies defeat techno-authoritarianism. “Part of why you’re on a mission is to help people understand that…the current arena is technology. It’s 5G. It’s quantum computing. It’s artificial intelligence. It’s robotics. It’s human sciences. And frankly, it’s those cutting-edge areas where the United States must maintain its position on the commanding heights,” said Campbell. “Our best way forward is not only to work with partners and allies and friends, which frankly you’ve done more than almost anyone in helping that, but also recognizing what steps we need to take domestically [referring to the pending U.S. Innovation and Competitiveness Act, or USICA].”

Kurt Campbell ended the briefing by praising Krach for rising above political divisions and providing valuable advice to the Biden Administration. “The fact that you have offered so often, Keith, to help me and to help others…and the fact that you are continuing in your mission to help people understand the important qualities of an effective competition in technology, the domestic kinds of investments that we need to make, the kind of environment we want to create for our partners and friends. It’s extraordinarily important,” said Campbell, who offered assistance in advancing the Krach Institute’s mission, “If there’s anything that we in our office at the White House can do to support the Institute in your mission at Purdue and the work that you’re going to do in Washington, DC, count me in.”