Decoding ‘America First’: The origins of Trump’s foreign policy

·1 hr 3 min·5 clips

Stephen Biegun explains how Trump's 1987 newspaper ad reveals his long-held resentment toward allies and unfair trade practices.

Sam Roggeveen hosts Stephen Biegun at a Lowy Institute event to decode Trump's 'America First' foreign policy. Biegun begins by highlighting Trump's 1987 full-page ad in major newspapers, which criticized allies like Japan for burden-sharing and trade issues, showing early consistency in his worldview. He explains that Trump's views on Russia and arms control also stem from the 1980s, including an offer to negotiate START treaties. Biegun details historical precedents for Trump's actions, such as four U.S. presidents seeking to acquire Greenland, starting with Secretary of State William Seward in 1867. He discusses changes in the Republican Party, noting it is now a coalition of factions including MAGA supporters, libertarians, and hawks. Biegun argues Trump is not an isolationist but shows a forward-leaning eagerness to use American power, as seen in the Iran war. He justifies the war by describing Iran as the largest U.S. adversary since WWII, with 93 million people, near-nuclear capability, and proxy networks. Biegun assesses war aims, including degrading Iran's nuclear and missile programs, and addresses the Strait of Hormuz closure as a Iranian deterrent. He explores implications for nuclear proliferation, suggesting Iran's pursuit made it less safe. In the Q&A, Biegun fields questions on Trump's communication strategy, institutional challenges, and Israeli influence, emphasizing transparency and historical context throughout.

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Stephen Began connects Trump's America First to Iran, US power, and strategic judgment.

America First is treated here less as a campaign phrase than as a test of history, power, and strategic judgment. Sam Roggeveen's conversation with Stephen Began moves through Began's time in government, the private sector, and the first Trump administration, using that…

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You want to know what sits beneath America First when the slogan meets trade, alliances, negotiations, and American power.

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