Reference Message Network reported on April 23 that the website of the US "Foreign Policy" magazine published an article titled "How America Can Regain the World's Trust" on April 21. The author is Stephen Walt, a professor of international relations at Harvard University. The internal translation is as follows:

In the first three months after the Trump administration took office, it shocked all rational people around the world. This was not only because it dissolved important American government agencies in chaos, attacked higher education, targeted renowned law firms, openly defied due process and court orders, retaliated against people the president disliked, and launched erratic tariff actions against both its rivals and allies, but also because the incompetent nature of the loyal subordinates appointed by Trump has become increasingly apparent.

This had an immediate impact on the stability and credibility of the United States. The once rock-solid U.S. Treasury market experienced fluctuations. As Mark Blythe from Brown University told The New York Times: "The whole world believes that the U.S. government doesn't know what it's doing." Or as my colleague Jason Furman said to CNN: "Nowadays, the United States is an extremely unreliable partner for anyone in the world, and I don't know how we can regain reliability."

This is indeed a very good question. Although Trump will not be president forever, future American leaders may hope to restore a certain degree of trust with previously friendly governments, businesses at home and abroad, and most American citizens. However, once trust is broken, it is difficult to rebuild. When more responsible American leaders take office, how can they make the United States regain a reliable reputation?

This is no easy task. For students of international relations, this is what we call the "commitment problem." As long as the "Make America Great Again" movement receives significant support from a portion of Americans, other countries have reason to worry that the United States may do crazy and harmful things to others and itself. Even after Trump steps down, he may be replaced by someone with similar views - a possibility that will never disappear in the minds of other countries.

In the long term, assuming that Trumpism is not eternal, what measures can future American presidents and cabinets take to restore people's trust in American judgment and reliability to some extent? Here are four suggestions.

First, admit mistakes. Publicly acknowledging mistakes when a country does something harmful to others (and itself) can help repair relationships. Apologizing for past mistakes can show others that you have learned lessons and are less likely to repeat the same mistakes. This requires support from both political parties.

Second, future American governments should seek to reach new arrangements that align with their own interests while recognizing that the United States cannot get everything it wants; the interests of other countries must also be met. Future American presidents should clearly indicate that the United States still hopes to establish economic and security partnerships with other countries and is willing to work together to formulate mutually beneficial commitments.

Third, if future American presidents appoint highly competent senior officials who are respected by foreign counterparts and establish rigorous and coherent decision-making procedures, rebuilding trust will become easier.

Fourth, those who now gleefully undermine American credibility and capability must take corresponding responsibility. The United States has long lacked accountability. Because of this, those who initiated past diplomatic policy failures and economic malfeasance remain respected members of the ruling class today. The absence of accountability opened the door for Trump's pseudo-populism and his attacks on the two-party elite.

Unfortunately, taking some form of accountability may create a worrying paradox. The larger the policy mistakes or crimes committed by the Trump administration, the stronger their motivation to stay in power forever.

Finally, the future of American democracy and the ability of future American leaders to establish lasting trust with other countries may depend on whether various political factions in the United States recognize the destruction caused by Trump and the "Make America Great Again" radicals, and ultimately succeed in marginalizing them in political life. (Translated by Yang Xuelai)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7496459278773944866/

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