Opinion | America has lost our trust. We must speak up – and retaliate
Philip Bowring says under Donald Trump, the US has turned its back on the values and principles it has long stood for, including free trade and international cooperation. Now is the time to stand up to Trump’s assault
Speak up and retaliate. If the US no longer believes it needs friends and no longer believes in open trade, there must be some response to make it plain to our American friends, and representatives such as the American Chamber of Commerce, that specific trade grievances are no excuse for policies which may have originated from the US president but have not been checked by the balances supposedly provided by the Constitution.
While the US now claims that the trading system it created is rigged against it, as supposedly shown by its merchandise trade deficit, the overall balance is very different, thanks to the access that US services and brands have long been given as part of freer trade.
