Anglo-American Relations: Columbia Journalism Review

Newspapers printed leaked diplomatic correspondence describing the Trump administration as “dysfunctional” and “diplomatically clumsy and inept.” The initial news report, acknowledging the US president is “notoriously thin-skinned, exposes concerns about the reliability of the United States as an ally, and the Trump administration responded that that it will no longer work with Ambassador Kim Darroch. Motivation for the release is unknown. Britain is the midst of selecting a new prime minister who can resume planning for Brexit – ending membership in the European Union and crafting some alternative relationship. British voters approved leaving the EU in 2016, though many have since expressed regret. The leak tests US-UK relations, putting Britain on the defensive: The country needs strong US ties to bolster its post-Brexit economy yet does not want to be viewed as a puppet, giving the US veto power over its ambassadors. Some officials question if Russia hacked the cables, but the reporter who released the cables noted, “In the absence of government, the civil service becomes politicised.” An interconnected and competitive world ensures keen interest in foreign policies of other nations. In polarized democracies, party politics takes priority over duty to country, and individuals take it upon themselves to release secrets to influence policies. Secrets and trust are no longer a given for governments. – YaleGlobal