America First is a belief that forms the foundation of President Trump’s administration and according to WhiteHouse.gov, it is defined as making America safe again, making America affordable and energy dominant, draining the swamp, and restoring American values.
The belief system of any administration or individual determines the course of their actions as we’ve so clearly seen in the case of Trump’s tariffs, dismantling of previous administration’s DEI initiatives throughout the institutions, and in withdrawing funding from pro-abortion groups.
America First is a long-term mindset that seeks to free the United States from excessive dependence on other nations, but why should we, as everyday Americans, even care about such a stance?
Because of one word: dependency.
Dependency can become the greatest enemy of any nation because it leaves them vulnerable to the will and condition of those on whom they rely, this is why it is a good thing when the leadership of a nation chooses to get their priorities in order and place their nation first and foremost.
America isn’t our only example for this structure of government.
For example, Egypt relied heavily on wheat and sunflower oil imports from Ukraine and Russia and according to the Middle East Institute Policy Center, “85% of [Egypt’s] wheat comes from Russia and Ukraine, as does 73% of its sunflower oil.”
When war broke out in recent years, the price of wheat increased by 44%, and sunflower oil rose by 32%—virtually overnight.
In terms of dependency on global organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), borrowing countries are often required to implement certain conditions to ensure the “success” of their economic programs. These may include structural reforms, changes in state-owned enterprises, fiscal transparency, and more.
When a nation chooses to be dependent, it opens itself up to greater vulnerability and instability.
This is not to say that self-sufficiency guarantees complete stability. However, at any moment, a supplier of critical goods could decide to cut off all trade, leaving the dependent nation in crisis.
America First acknowledges that dependency comes with significant costs—including those to national security, public confidence, cultural values, and beyond.
There is a cost to dependency, just as there is a cost to independence.
America First is a decision with a long-term focus, something most governments fail to have, based on the belief that the long-term costs of dependency outweigh those of independence.
