Check out the best Henry Kissinger quotes that reflect his profound thoughts on power, politics, diplomacy, war, government, and leadership.
Henry Kissinger was a highly influential American diplomat, political scientist, and foreign policy strategist who played a defining role in U.S. global affairs during the Cold War.
Serving as 56th U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, Kissinger helped shape modern diplomacy.
He is best known for his involvement in the Vietnam War peace negotiations, the policy of détente with the Soviet Union, and his efforts to improve U.S.-China relations.
Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973, Henry Kissinger gained recognition for his realistic worldview, strategic thinking, and pragmatic approach to power and international relations.
However, Kissinger remains a polarizing figure, criticized for U.S. involvement in Chile, Cambodia, and East Timor.
His legacy writings, lectures, and speeches continue to influence policymakers, scholars, and global leaders worldwide.
Here are the most famous Henry Kissinger quotes that offer deep insights into diplomacy, leadership, and the realities of world politics.
Top 10 Henry Kissinger Quotes
- “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.” — Henry Kissinger
- “The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously.” — Henry Kissinger
- “A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure.” — Henry Kissinger
- “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Whatever must happen ultimately should happen immediately.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.” — Henry Kissinger
- “To be an enemy of America can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal.” — Henry Kissinger
- “If you don’t know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Every victory is only the price of admission to a more difficult problem.” — Henry Kissinger
- “A leader does not deserve the name unless he is willing occasionally to stand alone.” — Henry Kissinger
Best Henry Kissinger Quotes On Politics & Government
- “Diplomacy: the art of restraining power.” — Henry Kissinger
- “The issues are too important to be left for the voters.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.” — Henry Kissinger
- “There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” — Henry Kissinger
- “The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation.” — Henry Kissinger
- “The reason that university politics is so vicious is because stakes are so small.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Military men are just dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy.” — Henry Kissinger
- “The conventional army loses if it does not win. The guerrilla wins if he does not lose.” — Henry Kissinger
- “It is not a matter of what is true that counts, but a matter of what is perceived to be true.” — Henry Kissinger
- “The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There is too much fraternizing with the enemy.” — Henry Kissinger
- “A country that demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security.” — Henry Kissinger
- “It is not often that nations learn from the past,even rarer that they draw the correct conclusions from it.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Don’t be too ambitious. Do the most important thing you can think of doing every year and then your career will take care of itself.” — Henry Kissinger
Famous Quotes By Henry Kissinger
- “World order now means in effect the establishment of compatible priorities.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Access to natural resources can become a question of survival for many states.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Intellectuals analyze the operations of international systems; statesmen build them.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Power without legitimacy tempts tests of strength; legitimacy without power tempts empty posturing.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Blessed are the people whose leaders can look destiny in the eye without flinching but also without attempting to play God.” — Henry Kissinger
- “The state is a fragile organization, and the statesman does not have the moral right to risk its survival on ethical restraint.” — Henry Kissinger
- “Accept everything about yourself – I mean everything, You are you and that is the beginning and the end – по apologies, no regrets.” — Henry Kissinger
- “You can never, in American public life, underestimate the advantages of complete and total incomprehensibility.” — Henry Kissinger
- “I don’t see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its people. The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves.” — Henry Kissinger
- “The one thing man fears is the unknown. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well-being granted to them by a World Government, a New World Order.” — Henry Kissinger
Conclusion
What are your favorite Henry Kissinger quotes and Henry Kissinger sayings listed above? If there is a quote that we’ve missed, then let us know in the comments section what your thoughts are.
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