America Slips in the Eyes of the World
Donald Trump’s first year as president rattles world’s confidence, while quiet, stable Switzerland remains the No. 1 country.
By Kevin Drew, Assistant Managing Editor | Jan. 23, 2018, at 12:01 a.m.
The mood on the international conference call at the beginning of this month was somber as Ian Bremmer, president of the political risk consulting firm Eurasia Group, prepared to list off top global dangers in the coming year. Bremmer began with a show-stopping line:
"If we had to pick one year for a big unexpected crisis — the geopolitical equivalent of the 2008 financial meltdown — it feels like 2018." The reasons are many, Bremmer cited, but the most prominent causes for global insecurity stem from U.S. President Donald Trump's move away from global leadership, and China's eagerness to fill the perceived vacuum. Bremmer isn't alone. Donald Trump pledged to "Make America Great Again." The world thinks he is doing the opposite.
The United States slips in this year's U.S. News Best Countries ranking, dropping to the No. 8 spot after falling one position from its 2017 ranking. Switzerland, an island of stable prosperity in a world of turmoil, remains the Best Country, according to a global survey of more than 21,000 persons.
The reasons for America's drop – the second straight year its ranking dipped – are fueled by the world's perceptions of the country becoming less progressive and trustworthy, more politically unstable and a president who after just a year in office is far more unpopular than any other head of state or company CEO.
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https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/us-news-unveils-best-countries-rankings
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