CNN political analyst: ‘Essence of American exceptionalism’ showing ‘signs of eroding’

CNN political analyst John Avlon criticized the Trump administration for issuing a memo that could prevent same sex spouses of foreign diplomats from entering the country, saying “the essence of American exceptionalism is showing signs of eroding.”

In his segment Monday, Avlon pointed to a memo obtained by Foreign Policy in which the Trump administration said partners of U.N. employees and delegates living in the U.S. “must generally be married in order to be eligible” for a diplomatic visa.

The memo said it would make “limited exceptions” for those couples coming from countries that outlaw same-sex marriages, but otherwise that any partner of a diplomat without a certificate by the end of 2018 must leave the country within 30 days. 

{mosads}Since same-sex marriage was legalized in 2015, it has been U.S. policy that any partner of a diplomat must be married to them in order to gain a diplomatic visa. However, critics say that the memo may stop some same-sex couples from remaining together in the U.S.

Avlon went after the memo as one part of President Trump’s larger effort to tighten immigration regulations.

“America is and has always been a nation of immigrants,” Avlon said. “That’s our calling card to the world.”

“But that good will, the essence of American exceptionalism, is showing signs of eroding.”

“The world has less confidence in President Trump to do the right thing than autocrats like China’s President Xi and Russia’s Vladimir Putin,” Avlon said, pointing to a Pew Research study released Monday in which Trump’s favorability among non-Americans plummeted.

“It’s a reminder that to be credibly called Leader of the Free World, you have to actually stand up for freedom,” Avlon concluded.