Bernard Baruch

Bernard Baruch was an influential American figure whose access to Harry S. Truman did not guarantee a voice in presidential decisions. Truman had chosen him as the American representative on the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission, yet when Baruch sought a say in a consequential policy debate, the President turned him away. The contrast captures Baruch’s position in the account: prominent enough to be appointed and consulted, but not entitled to direct the administration’s choices.

Role in the Administration

Truman had recently selected Baruch to represent the United States on the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission. But Baruch held no official position in the administration. That distinction mattered when he indicated that he wanted influence over a decision: his public standing and his appointment did not make him part of the President’s circle of decision-makers.

Truman’s Private Assessment

Truman’s daily appointment notes record a sharply dismissive view of Baruch. He wrote that Baruch wanted “to run the world, the moon and maybe Jupiter.” The remark places Baruch among people Truman suspected of seeking influence beyond their formal responsibilities. It also contrasts with Truman’s decision to appoint him to the commission: the President could entrust Baruch with a representative role while remaining wary of his appetite for broader authority.

Refused Counsel

When Baruch let it be known that he wanted to advise Truman on a major policy decision, the President refused. Truman’s objection was not simply that Baruch lacked an official post; he believed that taking Baruch’s advice would consume time and impose Baruch’s own policy on the discussion. Truman instead insisted that the administration had a decision to make for itself. The episode shows the boundary he drew between an influential figure’s desire to be heard and his own authority to choose whom to consult.