Commentary: Presumptive nominee Trump apparently loves self-contradictions, but the news sometimes likes equivocation, regardless of his actual words. On 4/27 Donald Trump outlined his vision of American foreign policy. Krauthammer (Las Cruces Sun News, 4/29) called it as it is and sees history possibly repeating. Trump’s main points resemble Charles Lindbergh’s isolationist views of pre- and early WWII in history while rejecting moral equivalency with the Nazi regime (Charles Lindbergh, An American Aviator). Lindbergh was Goering’s guest to the 1936 Olympics, received Nazi medals and was one of their “hero’s.” Some say ‘foreign policy' is Trump’s oxymoron.
Lindbergh's “America First Committee/Party," from the late 1930’s to the early 40’s was the largest US anti-war faction. He and his folks heatedly disagreed with the Roosevelt Administration and with the “Committee to Defend America” (same). December 7, 1941 interfered with Lindbergh's world.
Trump's points are: Retreat to Fortress America; restructure aid to allies, oppose trade agreements; bar Muslims; replace “randomness with purpose,” “ideology with strategy" and "chaos with peace.” (The Hill) So much remains unexplained.
Trump's Fortress America, strong diplomacy and isolationism were Lindbergh's key points - and they appear so with Trump. He doesn’t want Muslims here nor do many of his supporters. He’s clear: “...Islam hates us," (NBC News) Trump is an apparent isolationist and Muslim hater. Israel ‘love,’ including settlements, is only part of the equation. With his eventual VP pick, will he explain his views less expansively and with more detail after the republican convention?
Pull out Lindbergh’s “Drift to War” speech (1940) and substitute modern situations and villians, e.,g, China, Iran, Syria, Daesh, etc; compare with Trump’s words today. The Donald never learned much history. What will interfere with his world?
"Doing what's right isn't the problem. It is knowing what's right.” (Lyndon Johnson)