Richard Haass

We're not the shining city on a hill.

We were never perfect.

But what we used to project, the example we set was something a lot of other people and countries aspire to, our democracy, the vibrancy of our economy, and how we comported ourselves internationally.

And look at it now.

I don't think there's that many people who are waking up around the world who say, I want to be more like Donald Trump's America.

This is not the America that I remember if they came to school here because of the excesses of ICE and our immigration policy.

That has an effect.

The president's posts have an effect.

This war has an effect.

Our lack of support for Ukraine.

I could go on and on and on.

So, yeah.

Brand America is tarnished and it has real strategic implications because countries at the end of the day, Anthony, if they're going to be part of an alliance with us, essentially it means they're going to put their, their welfare, their wellbeing in our hands.

And that means they have to trust our judgment.

They have to trust our character.

And I think a lot of countries are coming to doubt our judgment and our character.

So let me turn it around.

I'll be, again, rabbinical here and answer your question with a question.

Because I thought not having Rubio lead the talks in Islamabad was a bit of a rebuke of the Secretary of State.

Odd thing not to have him do it.