A country's influence and power depends on many factors, including the size and strength of its economy, and the size and quality of its defense forces and its population. Reliable alliances count. But less tangible factors such as language and culture also matter. So does the quality of a country's leadership and governance.
Donald Trump, instead of "making America great again" as he claims, has succeeded in undermining American influence and prestige, making him probably the worst U.S. president in history.
The investigations into contacts between his presidential campaign and Russian agencies have yet to be completed, but the old adage that there is no smoke without fire leaves suspicions that fester. Following Trump's failure to endorse fully the U.S. commitment to NATO, these suspicions add to concerns about the extent to which America's allies can depend on the United States in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine and intervention in Syria.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.