Based on the excerpt, the correct response that reflects Washington's meaning when he wrote that the maxim “honesty is the best policy” should be applied to foreign relations is:
There was no need to be coy about U.S. intentions to avoid permanent alliances in the future.
This choice encapsulates Washington's idea that the U.S. should be straightforward about its desire to avoid long-term foreign entanglements while respecting existing commitments.