"What is currently happening in the USA is extremely dangerous," writes the Archbishop Emeritus of Vienna in a column in the Austrian daily newspaper "Heute" (Friday).
With regard to the initial measures taken by the Trump administration, Schönborn explained: "Trade agreements are being broken unilaterally, existing state rights are being called into question, existing law and its constitutional safeguards are being pushed aside."
Contracts are based on mutual trust and must therefore be scrupulously honoured by both sides, the cardinal continued. This applies to rental contracts, trade, the economy, marriage contracts and intergovernmental agreements. Contracts could also be amended, but would then have to be renegotiated. "The rule of law depends on contracts being valid." The opposite of this is arbitrariness: "The powerful dictate their will, regardless of what is contractually agreed."
Schönborn is concerned about the global political situation as a whole. Dictatorships are on the rise worldwide and with them the arbitrariness of those in power.
"Loyalty and faith, trust and security, and above all the weaker, poorer and defenceless are falling by the wayside," warns Schönborn and asks: "Is that what we want?"