President-elect Donald Trump will be able to change policies as he wishes, but the "One China" policy dates back years, former U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns said Monday, and he questioned Trump's decision to accept a phone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen last week and needs a seasoned hand as secretary of State to ground him.
"I think this broadening of the search may pay off for Donald Trump," Burns told MSNBC's "Morning Joe"program. "If you look at his performance over the weekend with tweets and phone calls, he needs somebody who can center him a little bit and give him the sense of calculating the risks of starting the biggest crisis with China in 40 years."
Over the weekend, it was reported that former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has served as an ambassador to China, has become part of Trump's list of possible nominations for key Cabinet post, and Burns said there are several others candidates with credibility.
"Jon Huntsman, certainly [former CIA Director] David Petraeus, [Tennessee Sen.] Bob Corker, [2012 GOP presidential nominee] Mitt Romney," said Burns. "[Former Defense Secretary] Bob Gates would be the ideal choice. All of these people would have credibility on center right and some on center left."
Meanwhile, Burns said Trump can change whichever policies he wishes, but the "One China" policy goes back to the days of former President Richard Nixon, and has helped to maintain stability and allowed the United States to help Taiwan protect its democracy.
"Whether it was inexperience or whether it was calculated, and I think it was probably calculated, you're buying a crisis now with the country that's most important to you on North Korea," said Burns.
Trump has also spoken with the leaders of Pakistan, the Philippines, and Kazakhstan, and Burns said there are both dangerous and positive aspects of such communications.
"The positive side with Pakistan is they feel resentful of the United States," said Burns. "We shouldn't kid ourselves. Pakistan harbors the world's strongest terrorists and provides sanctuary to the Taliban so we need a more conditional relationship with Pakistan."
But the phone call also would make India wonder what is happening, said Burns, "and ultimately, the Indian relationship is a consequential one."
Burns said his former colleagues at State and Defense are also concerned about Trump's public comments on Twitter and by his "public spectacle of parading candidates" before news cameras "in a reality TV environment," and believe the resulting "reality TV environment" is demeaning and will discredit some of them.
Trump, said Burns, has not been taking intelligence briefings from the Department of Defense and Treasury, and "it's obvious from the phone calls that the right message speaking truth to power bringing up terrorism with Pakistanis would have been the way to go. I think they're worried."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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