America First

Extracted Attributes

• Key Tenets

  Non-interventionism, American nationalism, protectionist trade policy

• Core Principle

  Prioritization of United States interests above those of other nations and peoples

• Historical Context

  Part of a long tradition of unilateralism in American foreign policy

• Early Usage Context

  Expressed concerns about global capitalism and trade (late 19th century), nativist rallying cry (turn of 20th century)

• WWII Era Connotation

  Shorthand for appeasement, complicity, or being a fascist/Hitler sympathizer

• Modern Policy Manifestations (Trump)

  Withdrawal from international treaties and organizations, comprehensive review of US trade and economic policies

• Modern Policy Manifestations (Carlson)

  US withdrawal from NATO, US foreign policy toward Israel based purely on American interests

Timeline

• The slogan "America First" originated from the nativist American Party. (Source: Web Search)

  1850s

• The term came into wide usage to express concerns about the influence of global capitalism and trade. (Source: Web Search)

  Late 19th Century

• The slogan became a nativist rallying cry and was adopted by the Ku Klux Klan. (Source: Web Search)

  Early 20th Century

• President Woodrow Wilson promoted "America First" in his presidential campaign, pledging to keep the U.S. neutral in World War I. His Republican opponent also used the slogan. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Web Search)

  1916

• A more non-interventionist approach, aligned with "America First," gained prominence during the interwar period. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1918-1939

• Republican Senator Warren Harding used "America First" as a presidential slogan. (Source: Web Search)

  1920

• Republican President Calvin Coolidge used "America First" as one of his slogans. (Source: Web Search)

  1924

• The America First Committee, a non-interventionist pressure group, advocated against U.S. entry into World War II. During this era, the slogan also became shorthand for appeasement, complicity, or being a fascist/Hitler sympathizer. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Web Search)

  1940s

• Donald Trump adopted the slogan "America First" for his presidential campaign. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2016

• During his presidency, Donald Trump emphasized "America First" policies, leading to the U.S.'s withdrawal from international treaties and organizations. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2017-2021

• President Donald Trump issued a memorandum outlining "America's investment policy" as part of his "America First Trade Policy," focusing on reviewing US trade and economic policies. (Source: Web Search)

  2025-02-21

• Tucker Carlson advocated for the U.S. to leave NATO and for its foreign policy toward Israel to be based purely on American interests, aligning with "America First" sentiments on the All-In Podcast. (Source: Summary, Related Documents)

  Recent

America First

America First denotes a set of policies in the United States that emphasize taking foreign policy and domestic policy decisions which serve the interests of the United States before the interests of all other nations and peoples. This typically manifests itself in policies of non-interventionism, American nationalism, and protectionist trade policy. The term was promoted by President Woodrow Wilson in his 1916 presidential campaign that pledged to keep America neutral in World War I. A more non-interventionist approach gained prominence in the interwar period (1918–1939); it was also advocated by the America First Committee, a non-interventionist pressure group against U.S. entry into World War II. A century later, President Donald Trump used the slogan in his 2016 presidential campaign and presidencies (2017–2021, 2025–present), emphasizing the U.S.'s withdrawal from international treaties and organizations in the administration's foreign policy. Some media critics have derided Trump's use of the America First policy as "America Alone".

Web Search Results

• America First

  America First denotes a set of policies in the United States that emphasize taking foreign policy and domestic policy decisions which serve the interests of the United States before the interests of all other nations and peoples. This typically manifests itself in policies of non-interventionism, American nationalism, and protectionist trade policy. [...] America First is best known as the slogan and foreign policy advocated by the America First Committee, a non-interventionist pressure group against the American entry into World War II, which emphasized American nationalism and unilateralism in international relations. The America First Committee's membership peaked at 800,000 paying members in 450 chapters, and it popularized the slogan "America First". While the America First Committee had a variety of supporters in the U.S., the movement was [...] As a slogan in American political discourse, "America First" originated from the nativist American Party in the 1850s. The motto has been used by both Democratic "Democratic Party (United States)") and Republican "Republican Party (United States)") politicians in the United States. At the outbreak of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson used the slogan to define his version of neutrality, as did newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. The motto was also chosen by Republican Senator Warren

• America First: The Past and Future of an Idea

  Taken strictly at face value, America First simply means that American leaders should put American interests before those of other countries. As Trump put it to applause from world leaders in his September 2017 speech to the UN, “As president of the United States, I will always put America first, just like you, as the leaders of your countries, will always, and should always, put your countries first.” That’s very unlike Trump: banal in its obviousness. [...] Here, history was actually on the side of the America Firsters who opposed U.S. membership in the League of Nations and, later, entry into World War II. As an idea, America First is part of a long tradition of unilateralism stretching back to John Adams’s Model Treaty, Washington’s 1796 warning about permanent allies, and Jefferson’s 1801 admonition against entangling alliances. The most famous unilateralist dictum in American history, the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, divided the world into two [...] Like many new but seemingly timeless phrases, America First came about as a way to stake a claim to an old order that wasn’t necessarily dying out but was under threat. It first came into wide usage in the late nineteenth century to express concerns about the influence of global capitalism and trade. By the turn of the twentieth century, as Sarah Churchwell reminds us in her recent book Behold, America, America First had become a nativist rallying cry and was adopted by the Ku Klux Klan in its

• The Original Meanings of the “American Dream” and “ ...

  “America First” was the campaign slogan not only of Wilson in 1916, but also of his Republican opponent. They both ran on an “America First” platform. Harding [a Republican] ran on an “America First” platform in 1920. When [Republican President Calvin] Coolidge ran, one of his slogans was “America First” in 1924. These were presidential slogans, it was really prominent, and it was everywhere in the political conversation. [...] and “America First” was shorthand for appeasement, for complicity, and for being either an outright fascist or a Hitler sympathizer. [...] In "Behold, America," Sarah Churchwell offers a surprising account of twentieth-century Americans' fierce battle for the nation's soul. It follows the stories of two phrases—the "American dream" and "America First"—that once embodied opposing visions for America. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump used the slogan “America First,” which many people traced to Charles Lindbergh in the 1940s. But you trace its origin even further back.

• America First Credit Union - Personal and Business Banking and ...

  ## Our “why” is you — and has been since 1939. “ Since America First Credit Union was founded in 1939, we’ve cared the most about your success, community, and family’s financial security. Because it’s not enough to simply be another credit union—we want to help you reach your financial goals and live the life you want. BECOME A MEMBER Watch Video ## Apply for a business account Our new digital business application platform gives you the freedom to apply on your schedule. LEARN MORE [...] America First has low-rate financing options for your complete financial needs. Learn More #### Apply for Loan Learn More America First has low-rate financing options for your complete financial needs. #### Find Location Use the location capabilities of your browser/device to find branches closest to your current location. See Locations #### Find Location See Locations Use the location capabilities of your browser/device to find branches closest to your current location. [...] We offer fast financing for cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, and more! We also offer repossessed vehicles at affordable prices. Learn more about America First Auto Loans here. ### “ There’s no better time to start saving than now. We offer a variety of investment and savings options to make sure your money is there when you need it. Start here. ### “

• President Trump Announces “America First Investment ...

  On February 21, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a memorandum outlining “America’s investment policy” (the “Memorandum”). This investment policy is part of his “America First Trade Policy,” which orders a comprehensive review of US trade and economic policies, focusing on trade deficits, unfair trade practices, and the impact of existing trade agreements. The Memorandum emphasizes US commitment to “maintaining the strong, open investment environment that benefits [the US] economy.” And, to [...] View Our Insights Publications Events Resource Centers Podcasts Videos View All Antitrust & Competition Banking & Finance Capital Markets Corporate & Securities Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Financial Services Global Investigations & White Collar Defense International Arbitration International Trade Lending Litigation & Dispute Resolution Mergers & Acquisitions Private Credit View All Services [...] + Creating a “fast-track” process to “facilitate greater investment from specified” allies and partners, which in turn will benefit US businesses “involved with United States advanced technology and other important areas.” This expedited process “will allow for increased foreign investment subject to appropriate security provisions, including requirements that the specified foreign investors avoid partnering with United States foreign adversaries.”