Republicans are the new isolationists; will US retreat from world stage?

The world is facing the most serious threat of nuclear confrontation since the Cuban missile crisis 60 years ago. At the same time, we’re seeing a growing isolationist movement in the U.S. The Republican Party has been taken over by Donald Trump and his army of right-wing populists.

The GOP is becoming an isolationist party. It is no longer the party that embraces the bold foreign policy of Ronald Reagan or the Bushes. By more than two to one, Republicans endorse the view that “We should pay less attention to problems overseas and concentrate on problems here at home.” Only 30 percent of Republicans believe “It is best for the future of our country to be active in world affairs.”

Former President Donald Trump has praised Putin as a “genius” and criticized Ukraine for corruption and supposed interference in U.S. elections. As a result, isolationist sentiment has become resurgent in the far right of the Republican party. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, only 12 percent of Republicans expressed a “very favorable” opinion of NATO; among Democrats, the figure was 34 percent.


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