• Investing
  • Stock
Round Table Thoughts
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Home Economy Declassified Richard Nixon letter to President Clinton proves prophetic on Russia
Economy

Declassified Richard Nixon letter to President Clinton proves prophetic on Russia

by July 23, 2023
by July 23, 2023 0 comment
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

A month before he died in April 1994, former President Richard Nixon wrote a letter to then-President Bill Clinton offering what Clinton later called ‘wise counsel, especially with regard to Russia.’ The contents of that letter have now been declassified by the Clinton presidential library and appear prophetic.

In the seven-page letter, dated March 21, 1994, and discussed by history professor Luke Nichter in the Wall Street Journal, Nixon gave a blunt assessment of the political situation in Russia, predicting accurately that relations between Moscow and Kyiv would deteriorate and that someone like Putin could come to power. Nixon, 81 at the time, wrote the letter after he returned from a two-week trip to Russia and Ukraine. 

While the former president is infamous for departing the White House amid scandal in 1974, his legacy includes being the architect of détente with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In 1972, Nixon became the first U.S. president to visit Moscow, where he signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev. Nixon spent the years following his presidency taking foreign trips on behalf of the United States and offering counsel based on decades of experience to guide U.S. policy in the post-Cold War era. 

Nixon considered the survival of political and economic freedom in Russia ‘the most important foreign policy issue the nation will face for the balance of this century.’ With that understanding, he told Clinton that based on what he saw in Russia, a fledgling democracy under former Russian President Boris Yeltsin was in danger. 

‘As one of Yeltsin’s first supporters in this country and as one who continues to admire him for his leadership in the past, I have reluctantly concluded that his situation has rapidly deteriorated since the elections in December, and that the days of his unquestioned leadership of Russia are numbered,’ Nixon wrote. ‘His drinking bouts are longer and his periods of depression are more frequent. Most troublesome, he can no longer deliver on his commitments to you and other Western leaders in an increasingly anti-American environment in the Duma and in the country.’

Nixon foresaw that relations between Russia and Ukraine would dissolve. He called the situation in Ukraine ‘highly explosive.’ 

‘If it is allowed to get out of control,’ Nixon told Clinton, ‘it will make Bosnia look like a PTA garden party.’ 

The former president advised Clinton to strengthen American diplomatic representation in Kyiv, recounting conversations with American businessmen who complained that the embassy was ‘understaffed and inadequately led.’ 

Nixon also urged Clinton to develop relationships with Yeltsin’s potential successors. ‘Bush made a mistake in sticking too long to Gorbachev because of his close personal relationship. You must avoid making that same mistake in your very good personal relationship with Yeltsin,’ he wrote. 

He was unsure who would rise to power next. ‘There is still no one who is in Yeltsin’s class as a potential leader in Russia,’ Nixon wrote. He informed Clinton that a nationalist and populist tide in Russia could produce a ‘credible candidate for president’ — a mere five years before Putin’s Russian nationalist regime took hold. 

‘The Russians are serious people. One of the reasons Khrushchev was put on the shelf back in 1964 is that the proud Russians became ashamed of his crude antics at the U.N. and in other international forums,’ Nixon wrote.

The letter also reveals some of Nixon’s dislike for career diplomats. ‘I learned during my years in the White House that the best decisions I made, such as the one to go to China in 1972, were made over the objections of or without the approval of most foreign service officers,’ he wrote. Nixon advised Clinton to chart his own course and not to be held back by his staff. ‘Remember that foreign service officers get to the top by not getting into trouble. They are therefore more interested in covering their asses than in protecting yours.’

Clinton in later years would remember Nixon’s advice fondly. ‘After he died, I found myself wishing I could pick up the phone and ask President Nixon what he thought about this issue or that problem, particularly if it involved Russia,’ he said in 2013. 

Chris Pandolfo is a writer for Fox News Digital. Send tips to chris.pandolfo@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @ChrisCPandolfo.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
You Might Also Like
  • Washington regulators shut down pot businesses over DDT concerns
  • Global Trade War: U.S. Tariffs and China’s Retaliation
  • Kansas Gov. Kelly vetoes second bill to regulate abortion
  • Biden says US has no ‘red line’ on Israel in Hamas war where ‘they don’t have the Iron Dome to protect them’
Share
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsapp

previous post
Biden predicted in the ’90s that he would be ‘dead and gone’ by the year 2020
next post
Trump calls for death penalty for human traffickers, vows to revive Title 42 to end child trafficking

You may also like

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bills prohibiting vaccine, mask mandates...

May 12, 2023

Conservative lawmakers wary over slowdown in government funding fight: ‘We...

November 30, 2023

Biden White House boasts biggest staff since Nixon, has 77...

July 6, 2024

Biden challenger Dean Phillips faces FEC complaint lodged by left-wing...

January 5, 2024

‘Squad’ Democrat calls Marjorie Taylor Greene a White supremacist, says...

May 19, 2023

Byron Donalds urges House GOP leaders to hold vote on...

August 20, 2024

Sen. Tillis schools anti-Israel protester on Hamas in hallway confrontation:...

January 27, 2024

Philippines, China spat escalates over ‘misguided’ South China Sea claims...

March 19, 2024

Biden admin seeks to lock up critical minerals with eco...

September 13, 2023

Border Patrol catches three child sex offenders in one sector;...

February 10, 2023

    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Breakouts, Momentum & Moving Averages: 10 Must-See Stock Charts Right Now

      May 31, 2025
    • Leadership Rotation Could Confirm Corrective Phase

      May 30, 2025
    • Run Your Stock Portfolio Like a Pro Sports Team

      May 30, 2025
    • U.S. foreign tax bill sends jitters across Wall Street

      May 30, 2025
    • Amazon taps Xbox co-founder to lead new team developing ‘breakthrough’ consumer products

      May 30, 2025

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be...

      June 27, 2024 2,765 views
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as...

      August 9, 2024 2,472 views
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese...

      June 25, 2024 2,451 views
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful...

      July 10, 2024 2,432 views
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility...

      August 29, 2024 2,308 views

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,106)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,581)

    Popular Posts

    • 1

      Trump-era China sanctions ended by Biden may be revived under new House GOP bill

      June 27, 2024
    • 2

      Walz’s honeymoon with China gets fresh scrutiny as Harris camp blasts ‘lying’ critics

      August 9, 2024
    • 3

      Biden appointee played key role in recruiting Chinese businesses to Delaware: ‘Longtime friends’

      June 25, 2024
    • 4

      Shein’s global ambitions leaves some cybersecurity experts fearful of Chinese spy threats

      July 10, 2024
    • 5

      Harris VP pick spent years promoting research facility that collaborated with ‘Chinese military company’

      August 29, 2024

    Latest News

    • Breakouts, Momentum & Moving Averages: 10 Must-See Stock Charts Right...

      May 31, 2025
    • Leadership Rotation Could Confirm Corrective Phase

      May 30, 2025
    • Run Your Stock Portfolio Like a Pro Sports Team

      May 30, 2025

    Categories

    • Economy (7,009)
    • Editor's Pick (2,106)
    • Investing (538)
    • Stock (2,581)

    Disclaimer: RoundTableThoughts.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 RoundTableThoughts.com. All Rights Reserved.

    Round Table Thoughts
    • Investing
    • Stock
    Round Table Thoughts
    • Economy
    • Editor’s Pick

    Read alsox

    Tim Scott, Cory Booker still hoping...

    January 31, 2023

    Gold & Silver Analysis: Key Levels...

    November 8, 2024

    Meet Biden’s re-nominated judges one Republican...

    January 23, 2023
    Sign In

    Keep me signed in until I sign out

    Forgot your password?

    Password Recovery

    A new password will be emailed to you.

    Have received a new password? Login here