Simone Lawson
The America First slogan has been used in various political campaigns in the US, including by Donald Trump in his 2016 presidential campaign. The phrase was originally used by the nativist American Party in the 1850s and has since been adopted by both Democratic and Republican politicians. Following his election, Trump adopted America First as the official foreign policy doctrine of his administration, emphasizing unilateralism and withdrawal from international treaties and organizations. The slogan has also been used by the America First Party, an isolationist political party founded in 1943, and by various other unconnected campaigns.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Slogan | "America First" |
| Origin | The slogan was first used by the nativist American Party in the 1850s. |
| Users | The slogan has been used by both Democratic and Republican politicians in the United States. Notable users include President Woodrow Wilson, William Randolph Hearst, Republican Senator Warren G. Harding, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. |
| Usage | Donald Trump used the slogan in his 2016 presidential campaign and presidency (2017–2021, 2025–present). Trump's successor, Joe Biden, discontinued many of Trump's COVID-19-related "America First" policies. |
| Super PAC | America First Action is a super PAC that supports Trump's "America First" agenda. |
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What You'll Learn
Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign
Trump's campaign was not without controversy, as he was criticised for his abrasive tactics and constant ridicule of the national news media. Additionally, the campaign became the target of FBI investigations, known as Crossfire Hurricane, into potential collusion between the campaign and Russian officials. These investigations uncovered many suspicious links between Trump associates and Russian officials, and in 2018, the Mueller investigation obtained indictments or guilty pleas from 32 individuals and three Russian companies.
Despite losing the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton by more than 2.8 million votes, Trump won the electoral college with 304 votes to Clinton's 227, becoming the 45th president of the United States. Trump's victory was attributed to support from voters who were male, white, blue-collar, working class, and without college degrees, particularly in the Rust Belt states.
Trump's campaign slogan and theme, "America First," emphasised unilateralism and withdrawal from international treaties and organisations. This nationalist sentiment was reflected in his inaugural address and influenced his administration's policies, including COVID-19 vaccine export bans. Trump's use of the "America First" slogan drew comparisons to historical usages by nativist groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, and was criticised by some media outlets as "America Alone."
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Trump's COVID-19 policies
The "'America First'" slogan was used by Donald Trump in his 2016 presidential campaign and first and second terms in office (2017–2021, 2025–present). Trump's COVID-19 policies were largely centred around the "America First" doctrine, which was often derided by critics as "America Alone".
Trump's successor, Joe Biden, discontinued many of Trump's COVID-19 "America First" policies at the beginning of his presidency. However, Biden initially kept the Trump administration's COVID-19 vaccine export ban in place, only starting to export vaccines outside US borders in May 2021.
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America First Action super PAC
America First Action is a super PAC, which is a political committee that can spend and raise unlimited sums of money. However, it cannot contribute directly to a politician or political party. America First Action is pro-Trump and has spent millions of dollars on advertising campaigns in support of Trump's "America First" agenda. For example, in November 2017, America First Action announced a $100 million advertising campaign to support congressional Republicans' proposals to change the federal tax code. In 2020, the super PAC spent $22 million on a fall ad buy in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with a focus on the economy, law enforcement, and protests.
The "America First" slogan has been used by both Democratic and Republican politicians in the United States. It was first used by the nativist American Party in the 1850s and was later adopted by President Woodrow Wilson at the outbreak of World War I to define his version of neutrality. The slogan was also used by Republican Senator Warren G. Harding during his successful 1920 presidential campaign.
In more recent times, the phrase has been associated with former President Donald Trump, who used it in his 2016 presidential campaign and during his presidency (2017-2021, 2025-present). "America First" became the official foreign policy doctrine of the Trump administration, with a focus on unilateralism and withdrawing from international treaties and organizations. Trump's successor, Joe Biden, discontinued many of the "America First" policies related to COVID-19 at the beginning of his presidency.
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The America First Party (1943)
The America First Party was an isolationist political party founded on January 10, 1943. The party was led by Gerald L. K. Smith, a former member of the Union Party who left due to his racial and antisemitic views. Smith's extreme ideology also led to the America First Committee, a group with which Smith sought an alliance, to find him too narrow-minded. However, the two groups shared common ground regarding Jews and elements of fascism.
Smith had been an activist and fundraiser for the Republican "Old Guard" and adopted their reactionary version of isolationism. The America First Party was founded by Smith and former associates of the America First Committee, which had disbanded in 1941, as well as previous associates with the Union Party.
In the 1944 U.S. presidential election, Smith was the America First Party's candidate. In March 1944, Smith stated that he and his associates in the party favored Charles A. Lindbergh for president of the United States. Smith's presidential campaign was marked by his extreme views, including a full-scale defense of segregation and opposition to civil rights.
The original America First Party was renamed the Christian Nationalist Party in August 1947. In 1948, the Christian Nationalist Party nominated Smith for President and Harry Romer for vice president, receiving just 42 votes nationwide. This election marked the final time that candidates were fielded by the original Smith movement or its offspring.
The name "America First" has been used in several later political campaigns, including by Donald Trump in his 2016 presidential campaign and presidency. Trump's "America First" policy became the official foreign policy doctrine of his administration, emphasizing unilateralism and withdrawal from international treaties and organizations.
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The America First Committee
The "America First" slogan has been used in several political campaigns in the United States. The America First Committee was a non-interventionist organisation that opposed the American entry into World War II. The committee was praised by Pat Buchanan, who said, "the achievements of that organisation are monumental". Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and presidency (2017–2021, 2025–present) also used the "America First" slogan, emphasising the US's withdrawal from international treaties and organisations. Trump's "America First" policy became the official foreign policy doctrine of his administration, with 65% of Americans responding positively to his inaugural message, according to a Politico/Morning Consult poll.
In addition to Trump's use of the slogan, "America First" has been used by both Democratic and Republican politicians in the United States. President Woodrow Wilson used the slogan to define his neutrality policy during World War I, and it was also used by Republican Senator Warren G. Harding during his successful 1920 presidential campaign. The phrase was also used by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) during the organisation's peak in the 1920s, a time when racist and xenophobic sentiments were widespread.
More recently, the phrase "America First" has been associated with far-right political commentator Nick Fuentes and former Identity Evropa leader Patrick Casey, who were described as leaders of the "America First" movement in a subpoena issued by the US House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. Additionally, "America First" has been used by the super PAC America First Action, which has spent millions of dollars on advertising campaigns and supporting political candidates, primarily aligned with Trump's agenda.
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Frequently asked questions
The "America First" policy is a foreign policy doctrine that emphasizes American unilateralism and withdrawal from international treaties and organizations. It was first used by the nativist American Party in the 1850s and has been associated with racist and xenophobic sentiments.
Donald Trump used the "America First" slogan during his 2016 presidential campaign and presidency (2017-2021, 2025-present). The slogan was also used by Pat Buchanan, who praised the non-interventionist America First Committee during World War II.
America First Action is a super PAC, or political committee, that supports the "America First" agenda of former President Donald Trump. It has spent millions of dollars on advertising campaigns and fundraising efforts to promote Trump's policies and influence elections.
