I totally agree with the concept of putting our own nation first, but I totally disagree with Mr. Trump’s concept of how to go about it. In order to defend America from foreign threats we must develop good relations with as many other countries as possible.

If you have vandals damaging your home, how would you go about eliminating the threat? Obviously, you can’t sit on your front porch watching 24/7. Wouldn’t it be great to have the whole neighborhood alert to the problem and watching for you when able? Or insult them and tell them they are all letting you down and not sitting around begging for the opportunity to help you?

At the recent NATO conference Trump continued telling our allies that they should have been begging to join his still undeclared war with Iran, and continuing his threat to take Greenland from Denmark! Does that strike you as a sensible way to strengthen ties with allies?

Ergo, the best MAGA approach is to build alliances. That IS putting America first.

Or, when the next world war happens, would you prefer to have it be the U.S. versus the world? Or the U.S. plus most of the world versus whoever? Believe me, the European nations WILL build solid alliances with someone, be it America or Russia or China. Our success in the next major conflict will be much better with many friends on our side. Slapping them in the face does not lead to that.

Kenneth Tatum
Tullahoma