Ilana Drimmer

Election Doubt and Unchecked War Policy Erode Institutional Trust

Ben Rhodes and Tommy Vietor argue that public distrust of institutions follows when officials invoke threats to elections or national security without accepting accountability for evidence, consequences, or failure. They distinguish foreign influence campaigns from vote manipulation, warning that unproven election claims can still furnish a pretext to challenge democratic outcomes. In foreign policy, they contend that Congress, public opinion, and stronger diplomatic institutions must constrain a Washington culture that too readily defaults to war, sanctions, and arms transfers.