Uncharted Thoughts.

“The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop. Europe has a set of primary interests which to us have none; or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves by artificial ties in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities”. – George Washington’s final address.

American Isolationism.

If you look at the United States of America through the lens of war, from its conception in 1776 till the second World War in 1914. The US was largely a isolationist country. It has been at war since its founding, that is true, but before 1914 they just beat the daylights out of indigenous group that decided they wanted the freedoms that the US has been preaching about, but without the US being involved. Their wars were primarily domestic rather than getting involved in foreign disputes.

Although the first World War witnessed Americans get their boots muddy in European affairs, it was the second World War that saw the US become a superpower and eventually become the ‘world police’ the we know and tolerate today.

Ever since then, every war the US has been involved in: The Korean War, Vietnam War, The Gulf War, Somalia Civil War, Bosnian Civil War, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq have all been under this new industrial war machine that they themselves decided to be the mantle for.

Donald J Trump, the new era of Isolation.

With the re-election of Donald J. Trump, it is clear that the USA may be heading back into its old ways of isolationism. Recent news from the White House regarding the halt of military aid to Ukraine, new high tariffs for Canada, Mexico and China as well as verbally attacking NATO and many other of its allies and backing out of the Paris agreement, in an attempt to reindustrialise and keep up with foreign rivals. All point towards the indication that the US is ready to return to the turtle shell is has so long been absent from.

I criticise Trump for a lot of things, not just his lack of support for Ukraine, and backing out of the Paris agreement.

However, I can not blame him for wanting to become more isolated. America has been the world police for almost 100 years, and although it has brought benefits to the country. There defence spending is crippling. $968.000.000.000.00 was spent in 2024, that is as much as the next 14 countries combined. Of which 12 are allies. Reaching 39% of the overall world military budgets.

$968 billion, is no small spending feat. This is no doubt money that could be put to better use. At least that is what Trump, as a business man, is probably thinking. Why are the US pumping more money into military defence than all of the NATO countries combined? Is it fair that they are hitting defence targets every year, while other countries such as the UK, Canada and France miss the quota by billions?

Trump may be many things, but a poor business man he is not. Neither is he going to be swindled by the poor efforts of his allies. Therefore, I believe he is choosing isolation, over being swindled. A sort of exchange of extremes. If you wont help, then I will pull out kind of attitude.

Result of American Isolationism?

Well, I am not qualified to say where this can lead the world if Trump is to fully isolate the US from the world, in terms of defence and trade.

It could result in another World War. China will more than likely attempt to take Taiwan if America drops its guard. The Middle East can again go into chaos, with new terror groups formed, Israel could be left to defend itself against the entire middle east. Russia could begin to invade other NATO countries and without the support of the US, this could bring all out war across the globe.

Or, this could bring an age of re-industrialisation for the world. Countries could go back to relying on self-industrialisation, opening car manufactures, factories, new medical facilities and growing more food.

Prices will sky rocket, there is no doubt in that, and we are all heading into times of great desperation. But, there is more to the world than America. Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, France and Germany are all powerful in their own right. And perhaps this is an era of the Commonwealths restoration?