US Foreign Policy Undermining Allies’ Trust, Analyst Warns
An analyst at the John McCain Institute has warned that recent U.S. policies are reinforcing the perception of the United States as an unreliable actor in parts of the world, potentially paving the way for increased Chinese and Russian influence.
In an article published by the American magazine Politico, Laura Thornton, a senior analyst at the think tank, wrote that Washington’s recent decisions and policy directions have eroded trust among its allies and pro-democracy advocates worldwide. She noted that this has caused particular concern among pro-Western movements.
Thornton, an expert on the former Soviet republics, highlighted her recent travels and meetings in the region, stating that the U.S. policy shift has opened the door for China and Russia to expand their presence in various areas. She emphasized that these policies starkly contrast with the traditional foreign policy approaches of both major U.S. political parties.
According to Thornton, the current U.S. foreign policy favors transactional relationships, defining allies based on financial interests and supporting far-right movements in Europe. She warned that this approach could weaken America’s soft power standing.
Thornton called on the administration of President Donald Trump to pay greater attention to maintaining the country’s soft power and to rebuild the White House’s connections with civil society leaders around the globe. She stressed that changes in national policy should not equate to abandoning long-standing allies.
The analyst also warned of growing disillusionment among pro-Western factions across the globe, indicating that parts of the democratic world might begin to reconsider their partnership with the United States. Nonetheless, she argued that pro-democracy institutions, financial backers, and the governance structure in the U.S. should not be judged solely by the shifts occurring in the White House.
Thornton concluded that fostering new layers of collaboration between global pro-Western elites and American non-governmental organizations could be a way to preserve these alliances. She underlined the need for more creative and flexible forms of international cooperation and mutual support between democracy advocates on both sides of the Atlantic.
