Secretary of State Mike Pompeo nailed it in Berlin on Friday. Speaking at the Berlin Wall the day before the 30th anniversary of its fall, Pompeo explained the necessity of an enduring American-led liberal international order.

Pompeo needed this performance. After all, the former congressman and CIA director has had a rough time of it lately. Perceiving his unwillingness to defend their interests to President Trump, the morale of State Department employees is running low. Pompeo has also failed to advance administration policy on Venezuela, where he has sought to present Reagan-type leadership. And the secretary’s own frustration has been playing out in his increasingly aggressive media interviews.