February 04, 2020

Working Advance for the U.S. State Department

When American diplomats travel abroad and meet with foreign leaders, who works behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly? What negotiations go into preparing for a state dinner with Kim Jong-il, and how is the pageantry of a diplomatic visit used to further U.S. policy objectives? Price Floyd, a veteran State Department public affairs official and former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, speaks with Ilan Goldenberg about his most remarkable—and bizarre—experiences abroad on diplomatic advance teams.

Listen to Season 2 of Stories from the Backchannel.

  • Commentary
    • May 22, 2025
    Sharper: America’s Edge

    A volatile global security environment requires the United States and its allies to develop new tactics and capabilities to deal with novel global threats. On June 3, policyma...

    By Charles Horn

  • Reports
    • May 21, 2025
    Regional and Global Responses to a Taiwan Contingency

    A contingency across the Taiwan Strait has the potential to reshape the Indo-Pacific and even global security environment. This report explores how states beyond the United St...

    By Jacob Stokes, Kareen Hart, Ryan Claffey & Thomas Corel

  • Commentary
    • May 20, 2025
    Protecting the Integrity of the National Guard

    Posse comitatus, which is both a general principle and a criminal statute enshrined in the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA), dictates that there should be a clear separation between ...

    By Claire Finkelstein

  • Commentary
    • May 20, 2025
    Preventing the Use of the National Guard to Evade the Posse Comitatus Act

    Limitations on military involvement in civilian affairs have been a central feature of Anglo-American law for centuries. Armies are equipped and trained to vanquish enemies. I...

    By Elizabeth Goitein

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia