HOW MR. BESSENT AND MR. TRUMP ARE HURTING THE CREDIT OF THE US
Drawing on Henry Thornton’s theory of credit, this piece argues that sovereign credit depends on trust, legal security, and respect for property. Policies aimed at expanding US oil production by pressuring major creditor nations such as Norway, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia risk undermining that trust. A debtor cannot strengthen its credit by threatening the interests of its creditors; doing so weakens confidence and ultimately damages the credibility of the United States itself