The battle to define an 'America First' foreign policy divides the Trump White House
By Greg Jaffe March 18 at 4:56 PM
Before President Trump delivered his first major address to Congress, he sat down with H.R. McMaster, his new national security adviser, who had sketched out proposed changes to the address on index cards.
McMaster pressed the president to describe the battle against the Islamic State and al-Qaeda as a global and generational war that the United States would fight in partnership with its Muslim allies, according to a senior U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. And he urged Trump to strike the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” from his remarks.
None of McMaster’s proposed changes made the cut.
The brief exchange between the president and his national security adviser highlights one of the early conundrums of Trump’s presidency and his foreign policy. In his first budget blueprint, released Thursday, and in speeches, Trump has preached “America First,” an approach that involves bolstering U.S. military might, strengthening the country’s borders and slashing foreign aid. In practice, though, Trump has pursued a foreign policy that looks a lot like that of his Republican internationalist predecessors.
To some in the White House, the president’s decision not to include McMaster’s suggestions was proof that the Army general did not understand the true meaning of “America First.” McMaster’s views are generally in step with those of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.
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