New Delhi, June 4 -- The US is at a turning point. For reasons that future historians will debate-and that will leave many dumbfounded-the country is attacking the very foundations of its strength: its openness, its institutions, and its global engagement. The shift began with US President Donald Trump's tariffs. Their chaotic and inconsistent deployment in pursuit of ill-defined objectives has not only raised the cost of imports and disrupted global trade, but also undermined America's credibility as a reliable economic partner, prompting questions about the US dollar's future as the world's reserve currency.

Then came the Trump administrations attacks on American universities, long a cornerstone of the country's scientific and technolo...