US President Barack Obama, who appointed Holbrooke as his administration's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2009, praised him as "a true giant of American foreign policy who has made America stronger, safer and more respected".
Američki predsjednik Barack Obama, koji je Holbrookea 2009. imenovao posebnim predstavnikom svoje vlade za Afganistan i Pakistan, okarakterizirao ga je kao "istinskog diva američke vanjske politike, koji je Ameriku učinio jačom, sigurnijom i poštovanijom".