1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

Retaliation has no place in responsible governance, yet this administration increasingly treats foreign policy as a tool for personal and political punishment. Threatening to halt trade with Spain over political disagreements undermines economic stability and damages alliances built over generations. Reports of abducting political figures from Venezuela violate international norms and erode America’s claim to respect sovereignty and the rule of law. Meanwhile, policies toward Cuba that seek to isolate and economically strangle an entire population echo the collective punishment imposed on civilians in Gaza Strip — a strategy that breeds suffering without producing justice. Foreign policy driven by retaliation weakens American credibility and endangers global stability. The United States should lead through diplomacy and lawful engagement, not coercion and punishment disguised as strength.