What is America First Foreign Policy, Really?

A foreign policy that puts the interests of the American people first and not the Washington elite. This series reveals the truth about what sets America First apart. Spoiler, it's not isolationism.

By Morgan Ortagus

An America First foreign policy, often misconstrued as isolationism, stands apart from the past 30 years of foreign policy by Republican and Democratic presidents. It promotes the interests of Americans while actively engaging with the international community through strong alliances. America First foreign policy views international organizations and alliances as a way to leverage cooperation and enhance America’s position in the world.

At the same time, international organizations and alliances need robust accountability and transparency to ensure they are not undermining American sovereignty or promoting globalist agendas that undercut Americans’ economic well-being and security. America should not give in to the European elite to join radical globalist agreements such as the Paris Climate Accords.

Although the United States will work with allies and international organizations to promote global and U.S. national security, America also must not give up its sovereign right to take action to defend itself. Europe and the United Nations do not and must not have vetoes over national security decisions made by our president.1

Legendary Pentagon advisor Andrew Marshall provided helpful guidance in 2018 on how America should devise its strategic participation in international organizations: we should view China as the primary threat, and everything else falls secondary.2 Given China’s pervasive presence and abuse of international organizations, preventing the Chinese Communist Party from taking over multilateral organizations is critical, and it will require America once again to take a leadership position. This echoes and amplifies President Trump’s commitment to promoting sovereignty and defending the interests of the American people.

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