Just before their 2024 presidential election, 58% of American voters said that the US political system needs a major overhaul. Another survey revealed that only 4% described the system as working “very well” or “extremely well”, and fewer than a quarter said “somewhat well”. Trust in US institutions has long been in a steady decline. Americans voted last year for change, and all signs indicate that Donald Trump is focused on delivering it.
This could be an opportunity for the US government to show its citizens and the world, particularly adversaries, that American democracy is capable of approaching and adapting policy issues—among them the economy, immigration, trade, and security—with fresh eyes and creativity.
But new policies on hot-button issues can move the country only so far. The incoming administration, if it is to be effective, must also address other systemic problems that cut across policy areas. These include a fragmented information space, foreign efforts to undermine US democracy, and, at home, the fraying of community connections. These three challenges degrade American unity and, abroad, its competitiveness.
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