John Buttrick writes from his Vermont Folk Rocker in his Concord home, Minds Crossing.

A news day doesn’t go by without hearing the words, “trust me.” When I hear those words, I’m caught on the horns of a dilemma. First, if a person needs to urge me to trust what they are saying then it means they are not always trustworthy, but this time they are telling the truth and want me to believe it.

The second thought is they are not telling the truth but are trying to persuade me that they are being honest. Either way, hearing “trust me” is not reassuring. At best, it only invites me to cautiously wait for the time when it will become clear whether or not the person merits trust.

Considering this dilemma has led me to ponder the perception of other countries and international organizations of the trustworthiness of the United States. The U.S. State Department explains that “Treaties and other international agreements are written agreements between sovereign states (or between states and international organizations) governed by international law. The United States enters into more than 200 treaties and other international agreements each year. The subjects of treaties span the whole spectrum of international relations: peace, trade, defense, territorial boundaries, human rights, law enforcement, environmental matters, and many others.”

Perceptions of the trustworthiness of the United States may come into question when there is a change in the government leadership, as we are now experiencing after the 2024 national election results. During this transition time, before the new president takes the oath of office in January, the president elect is expressing a good deal of bluster and promise that the new regime is planning to break trust by disavowing some of the treaties and agreements in force.

A Washington Post article reports, “The best policy, he (Trump) has indicated, will emerge from his own instincts, toughness and deal making prowess.”

Ignoring past commitments made by the United States and only relying on his self-aggrandizement to guide his relationships with government workers, nations, and international organizations has unintended consequences. It leads to an erosion of America’s trustworthiness in the eyes of the international community. One could say, “Trust me” is Donald Trump’s claim to power and authority.

Examples of foreign policy changes are: a pledged to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and a plan to revoke China’s Most Favored Nation trade status. Domestic action may include President-elect Trump’s plan to reverse light-duty vehicle emissions standards, reduce funding for high-speed rail projects and roll back safety regulations, and target the EPA through smaller budgets and efforts to decrease the size and reach of the agency. If these and many other unilateral changes take place, trust in the office of the president of the U.S. will be relegated to the past and will demonstrate that “trust me” is a meaningless mantra.

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For the sake of effective trustworthy governing and diplomacy, the incoming president needs to honor the treaties and agreements already agreed upon among the nation states and international organizations. The incoming president’s goals may be different from predecessors, but it is important the new president shows trust and respect, not only for the former president but also for those others who have had a part in drafting and agreeing upon the treaties and agreements.

Flat-out rejecting these current agreements does not make for trustworthiness. Instead, the incoming president should consider the inherited treaties and agreements as the foundation for the changes he advocates. The logic for any changes needed will surface later with stakeholder discussions under the president’s leadership. The skill of this leadership may create an experience of trustworthiness.

The international community is well aware of the disruptions and disagreements within the United States society and government. Effective international relationships are possible only if the new president is willing to let others have some input into the changes he advocates. If not, then U.S. citizens will have the responsibility to expose and reject his penchant for deception and unwarranted arrogance. Also, Congress must discourage automatic acceptance and dependency upon any spontaneous unilateral initiatives of the president.

Together, we may make America trustworthy again. Then our nation will be free from the need to plead, “Trust me!”