Trump Unveils 'America First' National Security Plan

The president promotes peace through strength
By Josh Rosenblatt,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 18, 2017 4:00 PM CST
Trump Unveils 'America First' National Security Plan
President Donald Trump speaks on national security Dec. 18, 2017, in Washington.   (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Donald Trump declared a new national security strategy on Monday, echoing the message of his 2016 campaign as he declared, "America is in the game and America is going to win." In a speech at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Trump faulted previous US leaders for failing to look out for the nation's citizens, the AP reports. He promised to seek openings to cooperate with rivals but added that "we will stand up for ourselves and we will stand up for our country like we have never stood up before." Trump's strategy envisions nations in constant competition, brushes aside Obama-era warnings on climate change, and affirms that the United States will unilaterally defend its sovereignty, even if that means risking existing agreements with other countries that have been a crucial part of US foreign policy since the Cold War.

The strategy could sharply alter US international relationships if fully implemented. It focuses on four main themes: protecting the homeland, promoting American prosperity, demonstrating peace through strength, and advancing American influence in an ever-competitive world. Trump called anew for construction of a border wall with Mexico and pledged to end "chain migration" of immigrants' relatives and close "loopholes that undermine enforcement" of immigration restrictions. He also said that China and Russia "challenge American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity." (More Donald Trump stories.)

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