The Trust Doctrine as a Policy Framework for Maintaining International Order Trust is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace. For that reason, Under Secretary of State Keith Krach was nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for the development of the “Trust Doctrine” and its deployment to defend against technological authoritarianism, safeguard global economic security, preserve democracy in Taiwan, and protect human rights. With the rise of authoritarianism, the Trust Doctrine, his nominators asserted, represents not just the success of these efforts toward peace, but the possibilities for an all-inclusive framework by which peace may be achieved across multiple sectors of human life. This doctrine means every peaceful relationship must ultimately be based on trust, which in turn requires a partnership to be founded on the firm foundation of integrity, accountability, transparency, property rights, national sovereignty, reciprocity, respect for the rule of law, the environment, independent press, and human rights. These are things that the free world honors and authoritarian regimes do not. Instead, they use them to their strategic advantage by utilizing the “Power Principle,” which forgoes the necessity of shared values, and operates by coercion, co-option, concealment, bellicosity, and threats. In one jujitsu move, the “Trust Doctrine” weaponizes the trust principles that we honor, and China doesn’t and instead of letting them abuse our trust, turns the tables by using those very principles that protect freedom against them. Dean of Georgetown Law School William Treanor observed, “What Under Secretary of State Krach did running U.S. economic diplomacy and building the Clean Network Alliance of Democracies is of the utmost importance especially now. His use of the ‘Trust Principle’ to defend against technological authoritarianism, safeguard global economic security, preserve democracy in Taiwan, and protect human rights resonates with our core values. That’s why it’s so inspiring.”

1. The Trust Doctrine as a Policy Framework
for Maintaining International Order
Trust is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace. For that reason, Under Secretary of State
Keith Krach was nominated for the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for the development of the “Trust
Doctrine” and its deployment to defend against technological authoritarianism, safeguard global
economic security, preserve democracy in Taiwan, and protect human rights.
With the rise of authoritarianism, the Trust Doctrine, his nominators asserted, represents not just
the success of these efforts toward peace, but the possibilities for an all-inclusive framework by
which peace may be achieved across multiple sectors of human life.
This doctrine means every peaceful relationship must ultimately be based on trust, which in turn
requires a partnership to be founded on the firm foundation of integrity, accountability,
transparency, property rights, national sovereignty, reciprocity, respect for the rule of law, the
environment, independent press, and human rights. These are things that the free world honors and
authoritarian regimes do not. Instead, they use them to their strategic advantage by utilizing the
“Power Principle,” which forgoes the necessity of shared values, and operates by coercion, co-
option, concealment, bellicosity, and threats.
In one jujitsu move, the “Trust Doctrine” weaponizes the trust principles that we honor, and China
doesn’t and instead of letting them abuse our trust, turns the tables by using those very principles
that protect freedom against them.
Dean of Georgetown Law School William Treanor observed, “What Under Secretary of State
Krach did running U.S. economic diplomacy and building the Clean Network Alliance of
Democracies is of the utmost importance especially now. His use of the ‘Trust Principle’ to defend
against technological authoritarianism, safeguard global economic security, preserve democracy
in Taiwan, and protect human rights resonates with our core values. That’s why it’s so inspiring.”