Is "America First" a Madman's Slogan? Trump Is Restoring America's Founding Principles [Zhiding Lecture Hall · Enlightenment Forum · Miles Yu] EP237
Miles Yu discusses Trump's political philosophy and policy positions in the program, pointing out that while the outside world often views him as a maverick who breaks conventions, from a historical perspective, Trumpism actually returns to the founding principles of the United States since its independence, including the priority of common sense, the supremacy of national sovereignty, economic autonomy, and the diplomatic tradition of fairness and reciprocity.
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Hello everyone, welcome to the Enlightenment Forum of the Sayings Lecture Hall, I am Miles Yu. Is President Trump a political madman? In fact, he is simply returning to America's founding principles. He is often portrayed as a disruptor of American political tradition, seen as a political amateur breaking long-standing norms. However, this interpretation likely overlooks a broader historical context. From a deeper perspective, what Trump represents is not a departure from America's founding principles, but rather a return to them. His political intuition is sometimes very direct, even controversial, but this actually echoes the core ideas that have continually shaped this country since its founding—that is, common sense takes precedence over the abstract theories of technocrats, and national sovereignty takes precedence over global governance. He pursues economic independence and patriotic confidence, and tends to counter the Chinese Communist Party's systematic instigation and funding of global conflicts through resolving disputes or peaceful negotiations. At the core of Trump's political appeal is a seemingly simple concept: common sense. Common sense has deep roots in American political culture, and the American Revolution was launched under this very banner. It is no accident that Thomas Paine's famous pamphlet advocating for independence from Britain was titled Common Sense. Paine's argument was not built on complex theories or elite philosophy; he used accessible language written for ordinary people, directly pointing out that it is simply illogical for a distant monarchy to rule a continental-scale society. Subsequently, Thomas Jefferson used a similar concept in the Declaration of Independence, referring to America's founding principles as self-evident truths—a term philosophically equivalent to common sense. These ideas require no complex argumentation because ordinary people can grasp them immediately by intuition. Trump's supporters often interpret his many policy positions using this logic; in their eyes, these are modern-day self-evident truths. For example: banning biological males from women's sports, requiring proof of citizenship to vote, imposing stricter punishments for violent crimes, hiring in federal agencies based on merit rather than other criteria, restricting gender transition treatments for minors, pursuing energy independence, insisting on reciprocal tariffs in trade, and demanding fairer pricing for prescription drugs. Critics may disagree with these policies, but Trump's rhetorical strategy is very clear: rather than packaging these political proposals as ideological experiments, he offers pragmatic and intuitive solutions to problems that have been overly complicated by the elite class.
Trump's worldview also reflects another core principle of America's founding: the supremacy of national sovereignty. America's founding fathers were deeply vigilant about the young republic getting entangled in global power struggles. Jefferson argued that America should remain independent from the competition of European powers, functioning as a sovereign state free from external domination. This did not mean isolating itself from the world; the founders firmly believed in the importance of trade and diplomacy, provided that America's independence was safeguarded. George Washington once warned against forming permanent political alliances with foreign powers, and Jefferson summarized this diplomatic inclination with a famous quote: peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none. Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality issued in 1793 was a manifestation of this philosophy, advocating that unless its own security was directly threatened, the United States should avoid getting dragged into foreign wars. Economic independence is another key focus; Alexander Hamilton pointed out in his 1791 Report on Manufactures that the United States must develop its own industrial capacity rather than relying excessively on foreign producers. Hamilton understood that political sovereignty ultimately depends on economic strength. Today, Trump's emphasis on domestic manufacturing, supply chain security, and reciprocal trade is a modern version of this core concern. Furthermore, the founding fathers deeply worried about the influence of foreign powers on America's internal affairs. Both Washington and James Madison warned that external forces might attempt to manipulate American politics. Over two centuries later, in an era full of geopolitical competition and global information warfare, these concerns remain highly relevant.
In addition to specific policies, Trump has also touched upon a deeper foundation in the American tradition: a firm belief in the uniqueness of the American experiment. The Founding Fathers believed they were attempting an unprecedented initiative, establishing a political system not based on hereditary privilege, but grounded in popular sovereignty and individual liberty. The architecture of the U.S. Constitution, which includes the separation of powers, checks and balances, and federalism, was originally designed to safeguard liberty by limiting the concentration of power. They also believed that America's example could inspire other corners of the world; America is not merely a country, but a democratic experiment of universal significance. Trump's rhetoric often reflects this national pride, and the tone of his discourse echoes several important moments in the history of American political leadership. President Ronald Reagan once made a similar exclamation: here is the last battle on earth, and if we lose our freedom here, we have nowhere else to escape to. Trump's 2017 inaugural address also expressed a similar philosophy: we do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as a beacon for all to follow. In foreign policy, Trump has emphasized a principle long rooted in American diplomacy: fairness and reciprocity. From this perspective, trade should not be one-sided; if other countries impose tariffs on U.S. goods, the United States has every right to take reciprocal countermeasures. Trump has framed strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party as the defense of international fairness and freedom of navigation, especially in critical waters such as the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. From this perspective, his goal is not to seek global hegemony, but to uphold open trade and sovereign equality among nations. Finally, Trump often describes himself as someone who prefers negotiation over falling into endless conflict, and he has said he hopes his historical legacy will be that of a peacemaker. This aspiration likewise aligns with America's long-standing tradition; from World War I, World War II to the Cold War, many U.S. military interventions were seen not merely as acts of national defense, but as efforts to maintain global stability and prevent the outbreak of future wars. Through this historical lens, Trump no longer looks like a political anomaly, but rather more like the concrete modern manifestation of an ancient American tradition. This tradition is rooted in common sense, national sovereignty, economic autonomy, patriotic confidence, and the pursuit of global peace in exchange for opportunities for fair trade. Regardless of whether people agree with his policies, there is a deeper argument that is hard to refute. Under this interpretation, Trumpism is not an accident of history, but an indispensable part of the long river of American history.