Trump ‘America First’ Slogan Carries Lindbergh Nazi-Friendly Undertones

By Josefin Dolsten April 27, 2016

A slogan Donald Trump used in a Wednesday foreign policy speech hearkens back to a phrase used by American aviator Charles Lindbergh, who argued for American neutrality against the Nazis.

The “America First” motto, which Trump employed Wednesday, was also used by Lindbergh to argue against American involvement in World War II, wrote Bloomberg columnist Eli Lake.

Trump said he would “always put the interests of the American people first. That will be the foundation of every single decision I will make. ‘America first’ will be the major and overriding theme of our administration.”

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Lindbergh organized “America First” groups that lobbied to keep the U.S. out of the war.

The famous pilot argued for an isolationist foreign policy stance, and accused president Franklin Roosevelt of conspiring with Jewish groups and Britain to promote American involvement in World War II.

Some of Trump’s policy suggestions, such as decreasing defense support to NATO allies, suggest similar isolationist ideals, Lake wrote.

Josefin Dolsten is a New York-based writer who has reported for the Forward, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Times of Israel and other Jewish publications. She currently works as an account director at Fenton Communications, supporting organizations that work to advance racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, reproductive rights and more. Dolsten earned her B.A. in government from Cornell University and her M.A. in comparative religion and Jewish studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO