When Washington stated that the maxim "honesty is the best policy" should be applied to foreign relations, he emphasized the importance of being truthful and straightforward about the United States' intentions regarding alliances. He believed that the U.S. should maintain its commitments and engagements honestly while making it clear that forming permanent alliances was unwise. Therefore, the most accurate response would be:
There was no need to try to hide U.S. intentions to avoid permanent alliances in the future.