What Hillary and Trump Should Learn from Ike and George Washington

Daniel L. Davis

Politics, Americas

These warrior-presidents shunned war and realized that America's greatest weapon is its economy.

Today’s world is as violent and chaotic as it has been at any point in the past four decades. For the United States to effectively navigate chaos and retain our security and economic vitality, the foreign policy of the next administration must be well above average. Unfortunately, it is now a real possibility that regardless of who wins in November, America’s policies abroad will be counterproductive and possibly detrimental to our own interests.

Hillary Clinton’s stated positions on foreign policy and her track record as a Democratic senator and secretary of state indicate that as president, she would repeat many of the most egregious mistakes made by the previous two administrations, and she might employ some that are worse—such as Michele Flournoy.

On the other side, Republican Donald Trump’s speeches and statements on foreign policy have been inconsistent and rash, so it is unclear where he stands. His character, however, suggests that irrespective of what his policies actually are, as president he would be reckless in their application.

Regardless of who wins the presidency, the nation would benefit if the new administration were to adopt the foreign policies and concepts employed by the most effective of their predecessors. The foreign policies articulated and applied by two of America’s former commanders-in-chief are especially worthy of emulation today: George Washington and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Both were former generals and statesmen, both served when the global environment was especially violent and dangerous, and the fate of our nation hung in the balance—and yet America prospered under both of their presidencies. America’s forty-fifth president would do well to adopt the best of their ideas tailored for today.

Though the Revolutionary War had been over for six years when Washington became President, the British continued to undermine the fledgling United States, both by inciting Native Americans to use violence against the government and in using its navy to disrupt U.S. trade. When France declared war on several European nations in 1793, Washington had to conduct deft foreign policy to safeguard American freedom without getting caught up in a costly European war.

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