Recently, a single-mom friend had a hip replacement. Her friends leapt into action, dropping off meals and ferrying her kids to activities until she could fend for herself. It’s what friends do.

But who is going to befriend the U.S., now that Trump has alienated every ally, when our day of need comes along? Trump is using the power of his office to insult, demean and intimidate our closest allies, as well as pulling medical, educational and developmental aid from smaller countries. Before Trump, our power lay not only in our military, but also in our generosity, our research and our educational institutions. We were a friend to our allies, and they to us.

It’s true that some trade agreements and NATO responsibilities could use tweaking — our great wealth has allowed us to be generous to other nations. But with Trump’s brutish methods? He may correct these inequities, but at what cost? And this card can be played only once — once the painful transition to a new world economic order is achieved, we will have no more bargaining power. As Europe and Asia surge ahead with clean economies, the bullying, backward-looking U.S. will stand alone — not in greatness, but in sad decline.

Marjorie McCloy

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Salt Lake City

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