Freethought Discussion: Critical Thinking about U.S. Foreign Policy: The MAGA Resurgence of “America First” Isolationism

Moderator: Alan E. Johnson

Critical Thinking about U.S. Foreign Policy: The MAGA Resurgence of “America First” Isolationism

Former President Donald J. Trump and his MAGA movement advocate a form of “America First” isolationism in U.S. foreign policy. We will discuss the following:

• Historical background of U.S. isolationism/interventionism: 19th and early 20^th century isolationism/interventionism; U.S. entry into World War I; post-World War I isolationism (including rejection of the League of Nations and initial isolationism regarding the rise of fascist and Nazi imperialism); U.S. participation in World War II; Marshall Plan; United Nations; NATO; U.S. involvement in the Korean War; history of CIA actions in foreign countries; U.S. intervention in the Vietnam War; other U.S. interventions during the Cold War era; the Afghanistan and Iraq wars; etc.

• Current MAGA opposition to foreign aid, NATO, an international rules-based order, etc. Why does the far right have an affection for Putin?

References (not required reading):

• Wikipedia: “United States non-interventionism,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_non-interventionism; “America First (policy),” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_First_(policy).

• Cathy Young, “The Problem with the New Isolationism,” Time, April 23, 2014, https://time.com/68293/the-problem-with-the-new-isolationism/.
• William L. Hitchcock, “How the GOP Embraced the World—And Then Turned Away,” Politico, July 13, 2018, https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/07/13/gop-isolationism-trump-eisenhower-219003/.
• Sergio Olmos, “ ‘Key to White Survival’: How Putin Has Morphed into a Far-Right Savior,” The Guardian, March 5, 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/05/putin-ukraine-invasion-white-nationalists-far-right.
• David French, “Why MAGA Loves Russia and Hates Ukraine,” New York Times, February 8, 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/opinion/why-maga-loves-russia-and-hates-ukraine.html?unlocked_article_code=1.lk0.9exe.aeUUa8GAonJf&smid=url-share (gift article)

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