By that pessimistic definition, no country can really ever have allies.

The US has a number of nations with which its interests have long aligned with, and are likely to continue to, and are formalized via treaty. I’m ok with calling those alliances.

That might be a perspective, but it feels weird to say it the way Kissinger does if it doesn’t elude to something deeper.

For example: There could be war between Finland and Sweden, but it’s fair to call them allies, in this day and age, they are friends… friends can still fall out. I know he says permanent friends, but permanence in friendship is simply the act of not sabotaging it.

In the same way it might be fair to call the US and Canada allies, but given that the US has been considerably more hostile to the EU, even spying on politicians, I think the quote is more telling than you believe.

A man who is widely reviled by a decent chunk of American population. One of the few issues that both parties and independents agree on is how terrible and damaging this person was.

Am I missing where this is quoted from, or is it like many other quotes where it could be attributed to the person, but nobody really knows?

Edit: if I'm reading right, it seems to be a quote from Dinesh D'Souza's book "What's so great about America" quoted by Henry Kissinger in his book "The White House Years"

https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Henry_Kissinger (Quotes -> 1980's)

Aside from the aforementioned countries, I'd say Israel is quite a strong ally of the United States.

The US is actively NOT doing what Kissinger thinks, in current geopolitical affairs. He doesn't speak for the country and hasn't had an active role in its actions for 45 years.