Trump furiously pushes 'America First' ideology — but can’t specify what it is: conservative

President Donald Trump and his MAGA allies proudly, aggressively declare their allegiance to "America First" ideology, often using "globalist" as a major insult. And some veteran Republicans who wouldn't have used the term "America First" in the past use it now as a way of expressing their devotion to Trump and avoiding the wrath of the MAGA movement.

But Never Trump conservative Bill Kristol, in an article published by The Bulwark on June 17, stresses that Trump isn't overly specific about what exactly "American First" principles are.

"Donald Trump believes, as we all know, in an 'America First' policy," Kristol explains. "At 7:24 p.m. yesterday evening, (June 16) with war raging in the Middle East and debate erupting among the president's supporters as to what he should or shouldn’t do about it, the president took to Truth Social to explain what 'America First' means."

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Trump posted, "AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!"

Kristol, in response, argues, "Give credit where credit is due. 'America First means many great things' is an elegant formulation for the fact that America First means whatever Donald Trump wants it to mean. And if you think — as I do — that a genuine America First policy would be today, as it was in 1940, foolish and dangerous, you're pleased that Trump is basically throwing America First under the globalist bus."

During the pre-MAGA era of conservatism, Kristol was a prominent figure in the Republican Party. But because of his intense criticism of Trump, Kristol — like many other Never Trumpers — was shunned by the GOP and much of the right-wing media. The Bulwark, in fact, is a refuge for anti-Trump conservatives, and its writers often find common ground with liberals during their appearances on MSNBC.

"In his post," Kristol observes, "Trump does tell us one thing unambiguously: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. This is the long-established position of the foreign policy establishment of both parties — the foreign policy establishment that so many of Trump’s followers hate."

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Kristol continues, "The question then is, of course, the same one the foreign policy establishment has faced for years: How do you stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon? Can diplomacy do it? Or does one have to be willing to use, or to support the use of, military force? Will Donald Trump end up being a tough-talking version of Barack Obama? Or is he a secret convert to the views of John McCain? Trump has been trying to have it both ways."

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Bill Kristol's full article for The Bulwark is available at this link.