As an American living in Europe, I have been surprised by the number of friends and acquaintances in the US who are angry at democratic nations across NATO, Europe, and the world for not agreeing to calls from President Trump to support his military operations against Iran. Their frustration is not simply because the US … Continue reading Reputational Crash: The Return of the Ugly Americans
Governance
Distrust in the US
Distrust in the US: Collapsing Foundations of the Trump Administration Trust in the United States has been sinking – collapsing. The foundations of this distrust are two interrelated aspects of the Trump administration: the decline in Presidential authority and the failure of checks and balances, broadly defined. By checks and balances I mean more than … Continue reading Distrust in the US
Very Effective Opposition to US Foreign Policy in Munich
Tradition has it that partisan politics and opposition stays in the US and the government speaks with one voice in international arenas on foreign policy. There have been many exceptions to this, and the 2026 Munich Security Conference is a major one. From my perspective, I was so pleased to see American opposition to the … Continue reading Very Effective Opposition to US Foreign Policy in Munich
David versus Two Goliaths – and Winning
A photo of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin standing together at the Alaska ‘Summit’ in August 2025 is displayed in the Palm Room of Trump’s White House. It speaks volumes of Trump’s inexplicable admiration of Putin along with other autocrats and dictators, and what Volodymyr Zelenskyy is up against in negotiating with Russia while the … Continue reading David versus Two Goliaths – and Winning
Is Trump Fit for Office?
Reports from the Economist, BBC World Service, and Aljazeera, concerning US President Donald J. Trump, note that: “In the message that was confirmed on Monday as being delivered to Norwegian leader Jonas Gahr Store, Trump wrote that “considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, … Continue reading Is Trump Fit for Office?
Democracy Lost
Democracy Lost: Can America Recover from 2025? The USA appears to be racing – not sleep-walking – into an un-American future. Since the 2024 election, the current Trump administration has treated the nation’s universities, sciences, medical research, foreign humanitarian aid, human rights, the Democratic Party, and even democracy, as among its enemies. Advances in education, … Continue reading Democracy Lost
President Donald Trump’s New Ukraine Game
President Donald Trump’s New Ukraine Game: The Most Transparent Negotiator in History With each negotiating failure, Donald Trump retreats and then returns with a new but flawed strategy. His current strategy is to look compassionate by focusing on stopping the killing, citing the tens of thousands of killed and wounded soldiers on ‘both sides’ and … Continue reading President Donald Trump’s New Ukraine Game
A Bad Deal for American Universities
A Bad Deal for American Universities, with an added Postscript The White House has sent a ‘Compact for Excellence in Higher Education’ to nine universities across the US.[1] The Trump administration wants to make a deal with them that is likely to be extended to many, if not all, American universities. The Trump administration offers … Continue reading A Bad Deal for American Universities
Breaking America’s Spiral of Silence
A democracy would not send military forces against its own cities. It would not defund university research that used the wrong words, such as inclusion, or shut down scientific research in progress. A US democracy would not erode the checks and balances within the government. There are many more problems, but most generally and to … Continue reading Breaking America’s Spiral of Silence
The Training of America’s Apprentice President
The Training of America’s Apprentice President: An Explanation of the Crisis in American Pluralism? American presidents have come from a variety of backgrounds, from military leaders to lawyers and more. Many local politicians have been real estate agents as both involved working with residents and businesses. Arguably, however, Donald Trump has come into his office … Continue reading The Training of America’s Apprentice President