Isolationism in U.S. Foreign Policy: Trump as a Continuation, Not a Departure

Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy often felt like a seismic shift, as though the U.S. had suddenly retreated from its global leadership role. There were dozens of moments, especially across 2015–16 as Trump was not-so-subtly exposing himself in the political world which felt like the game truly was changing. As he attempts an re-election this November, it really does feel like politics has changed past the point of no return.

Yet, to view Trump’s actions as a complete departure from American norms misses the deeper historical currents. His approach — whether he knew this of not — was a modern manifestation of a long-standing isolationist tendency in U.S. politics, one deeply rooted in both the nation’s history and contemporary political identity.

To understand Trump’s foreign policy, it’s essential to see it not as an outlier but as part of a recurring cycle of isolationism. In fact, Trump’s isolationism was less of a break from the past and more of a revival of the Jacksonian tradition, where the U.S. focuses inward, prioritizes domestic sovereignty, and views international engagements with suspicion.

Historically, American isolationism stems from the country’s early years. George Washington’s farewell address in 1796, which warned against permanent…