Susan Rice Back in the White House Spotlight: How Her Return Could Shape Biden’s 2024 Agenda

Lead: Former U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice warned that President Donald Trump’s private White House talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could “sideline Kyiv’s interests” and hand Moscow new leverage, speaking Monday on NPR’s All Things Considered. Subhead – Rice calls for “full transparency” Rice urged the administration to publish a detailed readout of the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting and involve Congress in any future Russia-Ukraine negotiations. “Closed-door diplomacy with an active war still raging is a recipe for confusion at best and capitulation at worst,” she said, echoing concerns from bipartisan lawmakers. Subhead – Why her voice matters now • National Security Cred: Rice ran the National Security Council under President Obama and previously served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. • Domestic Policy Experience: Until May 2023 she directed President Biden’s Domestic Policy Council, giving her a rare blend of foreign- and domestic-policy influence. • Academic Return: In 2024 Stanford University named Rice a distinguished visiting fellow at its Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), where she studies technology’s impact on democracy. Subhead – Key takeaways from Rice’s NPR interview 1. No Ukraine, no deal: Rice argued any Russia-Ukraine settlement that excludes Zelenskyy “will not stick.” 2. Congress must reassert oversight: She encouraged the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to seek testimony from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regarding the White House agenda. 3. AI and cyber risks: Drawing on her Stanford research, Rice warned that “state-sponsored disinformation powered by AI” could shape peace talks as much as troop movements on the ground. Subhead – The politics of peace talks With Trump campaigning on a promise to “end the war in 24 hours,” Rice’s critique gives Democrats fresh ammunition while underscoring divisions inside the GOP over engagement with Russia. Analysts say her comments could influence moderate voters who see Ukraine’s fate as a litmus test for America’s commitment to its allies. Subhead – What’s next for Susan Rice • September: Scheduled to deliver a Stanford HAI lecture on “AI, Autocracy and the Future of Conflict.” • October: Set to testify before the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition about Russian hybrid warfare. • Book watch: Publishing insiders expect Rice to announce a follow-up to her 2019 memoir “Tough Love,” focusing on lessons from her White House and AI policy work. Subhead – Bottom line Susan Rice’s sharp critique of the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting places her back in the foreign-policy spotlight just as 2026 campaign rhetoric on Ukraine heats up. With a foot in academia and deep experience in Washington, Rice is positioning herself as a key voice on how emerging technology, great-power rivalry and domestic politics intersect—making “Susan Rice” a name to watch and a keyword voters, policymakers and search engines alike will keep clicking.