Kammala wannan jumla: Duk da bambancin ra'ayi game da manufofin kasashen waje, Bryan ya goyi bayan yakin neman zaben Wilson na 1916. Ko da yake bai halarci matsayin wakili na hukuma ba,
Taron kasa na Jam'iyyar Democrat na 1916 ya dakatar da dokokinta don ba Bryan damar yin jawabi a taron; Bryan ya ba da jawabi da aka karɓa sosai wanda ya kare rikodin Wilson na gida. Bryan yayi aiki a matsayin wakilin yakin neman zabe ga Wilson a yakin neman zaben 1916, yana gabatar da jawabai da yawa, galibi ga masu sauraro a yammacin Kogin Mississippi. A ƙarshe, Wilson ya yi nasara a kan dan takarar Republican, Charles Evans Hughes. Lokacin da Amurka ta shiga Yaƙin Duniya na I a watan Afrilu 1917, Bryan ya rubuta wa Wilson, "Yin imani da cewa aikin ɗan ƙasa ne ya ɗauki rabonsa na nauyin yaƙi da rabonsa na haɗari, da wannan na miƙa hidimata ga Gwamnati. Don Allah ku sanya ni a matsayin mai zaman kansa a duk lokacin da ake bukata da kuma sanya ni ga wani aiki da zan iya yi. " Wilson ya ƙi nada Bryan zuwa matsayi na tarayya, amma Bryan ya yarda da bukatar Wilson don samar da goyon bayan jama'a ga yakin basasa ta hanyar jawabinsa da kuma labarai. Bayan yaƙin, duk da wasu shakku, Bryan ya goyi bayan ƙoƙarin Wilson na rashin nasara don kawo Amurka cikin League of Nations.