Samantha Power’s tenure as head of USAID was just the latest chapter in a meteoric rise that defies traditional foreign policy credentials.

A former journalist with no formal diplomatic or military background, she ascended rapidly—first as a senior adviser to Barack Obama, then as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and ultimately as the head of an agency handling billions in taxpayer dollars.

Power encountered remarkably little resistance, unlike others with deep military and policy experience who faced relentless scrutiny upon appointment by a president of another political party.

Compare Power’s rise with Trump-era appointees like Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard, who saw their backgrounds dissected and their integrity questioned.