Quote Originally Posted by Montmorency View Post
Misconception! Trump is not an isolationist at all in mindset, rhetoric, or policy - he is a unilateralist.

His understanding of strength, because he is a weak and insecure man, is embodied through throwing our weight around and intimidating other countries (especially friendly ones).

An isolationist does not see an active role for a country in world affairs. Trump merely intensifies the logic of American interventionism as a mechanism to deliver goodies. There is no pretense that multilateral arrangements should be something other than tribute-taking exercises. Recall the infamous blog in 2011 in which brainstormed occupying Libya in exchange for "half their oil".

Don't call Trump an isolationist, it's not evidenced. This is his vision for American participation:


I tend to think of him as a Russell Mead "Jacksonian" isolationist. I don't think you and I are far off on this, but I do take your point.