Romney says he laughs at term ‘America first’

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said that he laughs at the term “America first,” an increasingly common phrase heard in the Republican Party regarding U.S. foreign policy that he finds “disorienting.”

Romney said during an interview with MSNBC’s “The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle” earlier this week that growing isolationism in the GOP is “unimaginable” considering its past leaders like former Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush as well as former Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Romney argued the term, popularized by former President Trump, “flows” in from talk radio and TV where “outrageous” things are embraced by the party’s base.

“Many in our party have followed that populist streak, which is, ‘Hey, stop worrying about the rest of the world, just worry about what’s going on here,'” Romney said on MSNBC. “What they’re forgetting is that we are connected to the rest of the world, that our economy is connected to the rest of the world. That if we had had that attitude then, you know, Germany would’ve ended up ruling the world, alright.”

“We’re involved in the world out of our own self-interest, and I laugh at the phrase ‘America First.’ ” I know it typically means isolationism, but really, America is putting ourselves first when we’re involved in the world, when we stop bad people.” Romney, who is a vocal Trump critic, said the “America first” approach will not maintain a “safe and prosperous” world for U.S. citizens, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin would keep marching further into Europe if he is not fully deterred in Ukraine.

“Look, if Vladimir Putin goes, not just through Ukraine, but then decides to go into Poland, then we’re involved in a conflict with our sons and daughters going to war,” he said in remarks highlighted by Mediaite. “Or we could walk away from NATO, in which case Putin is going to keep on going and going.”

“How about a world where China and Russia control the world and we have our own little island? That’s not a world where Americans are going to be safe or prosperous,” Romney said. “We’re safe and prosperous when the world follows the orders that have existed over the last 75 years.” Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Read more from The Hill at thehill.com

5 comments

“How about a world where China and Russia control the world and we have our own little island? That’s not a world where Americans are going to be safe or prosperous,”

That’s where the US is heading if the likes of Moscow Marge get their way. They are too dumb to realise this is not 1940. China is now an economic powerhouse, the EU is an economic powerhouse. Trade between China and the US is $750 billion. Trade between the US and the EU is even larger at $1.2 trillion.

A couple of Ukraine’s staunchest Republican allies; McCain and Romney were defeated by a closet putlerite, who recently stepped out.
Now John McCain has died and Mitt Romney has retired. Another staunch proponent of Ukraine; Liz Cheney, was defeated by a magaputler shithead.
Who’s left? Lindsey Graham became a flip-flopper. Ditto Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.
As for Nikki Haley, she was defeated by Trumpkov.