A turning point in United States foreign policy

Letter to the Editor,

On Dec. 4, 2025, the Trump administration unveiled its National Security Strategy, presenting not just a list of foreign policy priorities, but also a fundamentally different vision of America’s place in the world. The strategy marks a dramatic departure from the post-World War II framework that has upheld global stability for more than seven decades.

By distancing the United States from institutions such as the United Nations, NATO and longstanding free trade systems, the NSS signals an intentional retreat from the cooperative, rules-based order that has long advanced both American interests and global security.

The administration argues these institutions have weakened the nation’s character and insists withdrawing from them is necessary to “restore and reinvigorate” America — framing this shift as the path to a supposed new golden age.

Yet the consequences of this new strategic posture became even clearer Jan. 3, 2026, when President Trump ordered U.S. forces into Venezuelan territory to apprehend President Nicolás Maduro. The administration followed this unprecedented action with rhetoric suggesting possible military intervention in Colombia, Mexico and even Greenland, signaling a readiness to use force in ways that diverge sharply from traditional U.S. foreign policy norms.

Such actions not only strain diplomatic relationships, but also raise profound concerns about America’s commitment to the democratic values and principles that have shaped its global leadership for more than 80 years.

Far from heralding the dawn of a new golden age, these developments instead expose deep challenges in leadership and a troubling drift away from the principles that have long grounded America’s role on the world stage. If the United States abandons the commitments that built decades of peace and stability, it risks undermining not only global order, but also the very foundations of its own credibility and influence.

Greg Stoner

Big Prairie

Letters to the Editor must be 300 words or less, should include name and place of residence, and include no personal attacks. Letters will be published based on availability of space, and AloNovus Corp. reserves the right not to publish and to edit for clarification purposes. Letters should be emailed to Editor Chris Snow at csnow@alonovus.com.