MAKING NATIONAL SECURITY SERVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
Dear Essential American Citizen,
Hopefully, but not you are aware that last week the DC elite policy makers published the 2025 National Security Strategy. I say not. If you are like me, you were not invited to join in the development of the NSS. We were not involved in setting its priorities and objectives. This begs the question? How can this be an America First Strategy? The American citizen was not involved in its creation. I have taken the time to review it. I want to offer up what I see in this ‘America First Strategy.
AT A GLANCE
* the NSS fails to resolve what our American National Identity is. This is imperiatv and preqqstu identy as a rep0uboic. a renewed sense of common purpose, national identity, and unity. This is not one goal among many; it is the essential precondition for achieving all others. You cannot project strength abroad from a position of weakness and division at home.
* Even though it was called “America First,” the NSS was made in secret by political insiders, which hurt public trust.
* It goes against the “Roosevelt Rule,” which says that before getting involved in foreign conflicts, you should focus on making your own economy strong and keeping your country united.
* This strategy has already failed because important allies like Japan and Australia won’t support its aggressive plans.
* Investing in American communities and infrastructure is the first step toward absolute security, not pushing away allies and spreading our military too thin.
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We all know what it means. It sounds easy: put the people and the country first. Supporters of the idea argue that, in a dangerous world, quick and intense action is necessary. Sometimes, even secretive action is needed to protect our interests.
The 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS) comes with “America First” on the cover. This raises an important question: which Americans are really being put first? Which of their interests are truly prioritized?
Is it America where teachers, nurses, and factory workers live? Or is it America where a small group of political insiders makes big decisions behind closed doors? Does it help the person on Main Street? Or is success often measured by how many contracts you get instead of how well things are going?
People need to be involved in making a strategy that is truly for them. It’s not a strategy if you don’t have it. It’s a top-down order. We need to focus on restoring a sense of purpose for all Americans. This is essential when our national identity is in crisis. A closed process does not bring people together; it makes them more suspicious of each other.
The real threat to national security is right here at home.
Our sense of a shared national identity is under a lot of stress. We’re no longer on the same page about what America means.
This argument is a sign of a strong democracy. But it’s also our biggest weakness. A country that is divided against itself can’t stand, let alone show strength and confidence to other countries.
That’s why the 2025 NSS is more than just a security document; it’s a chance to heal a missed opportunity. It has been a project that brought us together to find our common goal and path again. Instead, it seems to be a weapon in an ongoing culture war. It fails as a unifying blueprint because it was made in secret.
Inclusion, not rules, builds trust.
Press releases don’t make people trust our institutions again; they do that by being open and letting people take part. To rebuild it, there would have to be open doors, like town halls, citizen advisory panels, and public forums.
But that didn’t happen. The same political insiders who wrote this plan have led many people in the country to learned to distrust it. This closed process doesn’t just risk bad policy. It makes the bad divide between “them” who govern and “us” who don’t even more clear.
THE BAIT-AND-SWITCH
A lot of people thought that the last election was a call for change: focus on the home. Stop the never-ending wars and put the needs of the people first.
So, why does the 2025 NSS seem like a classic bait-and-switch?
– Promise: Put sovereignty first.
Reality: Use strategies that make it harder to work with key allies.
– Promise: Tear down the framework.
In reality, loyalty takes the place of skill, and a thicker curtain of secrecy goes up.
– Promise: Put Americans first.
In reality, foreign projects are more critical than urgent needs at home, like roads and bridges that are falling apart.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES? THE ROOSEVELT RULE THAT IS NOT REMEMBERED
Amid discussions of hegemony and grand strategy, we need to ask: what does this mean for the average American? For the family worried about grocery costs, the business owner dealing with supply chain problems, and the graduate in debt?
The 2025 NSS talks about them, but not to them, because they weren’t involved in making it. It doesn’t take into account the Roosevelt Rule, which was the most successful American strategy of the 20th century.
Franklin D. Roosevelt had to deal with two major crises at the same time: the Great Depression and World War II. His harsh but effective strategic priority was to “fix the foundation first.” Before taking on huge problems abroad, he focused on saving the American economy. He aimed to get people back to work. Additionally, he worked on reviving national industry. He knew that a country can’t show strength abroad if it is weak, broke, and divided at home. He was capable of building the “Arsenal of Democracy” because he built the factory floor first. Then, he put the workers there.
The citizen is the most important person involved and the most affected by a strategy that goes against this rule.
They are stakeholder because their son or daughter is sent to fight. Their taxpayer dollars are being spent on foreign engagements, $13 billion at a time. This spending occurs instead of fixing our broken bridges and fostering innovation.
They are the ones who lose the most. They pay for the inflation caused by war. They suffer the loss of loved ones in wars of choice. They also bear the spiritual cost of a democracy that feels like a spectator sport.
The current doctrine completely goes against the Roosevelt Rule. It puts the cart before the horse. It prioritizes ideological projects abroad over the elements that make our country strong. These elements include our economy, social cohesion, and infrastructure.
The Roosevelt Rule would focus on the well-being of the American people. Making it the most important national security goal would be part of a strategy. This strategy truly puts the American people first. Restoring our national identity would be its top priority. It would have a clear sense of purpose and direction. It would not see economic security as separate from national security. World-class infrastructure is also essential to national security. A unifying public service is crucial as well.
It’s not a question of whether we will put America first. The question is whether we will be smart enough to remember how to do it right.
THE ELITE’S CONVENIENT AMNESIA: ROOSEVELT WITHOUT THE RULE
There is a profound and, one must assume, intentional ignorance in how our modern policy elite sees history. They praise Franklin Roosevelt for leading the world to victory in World War II. But, they ignore entirely how he did it.
They can see the “Arsenal of Democracy,” but they can’t see the New Deal that made it possible. They look up to the commander-in-chief, who got ready for war. But, they forget about the president who first got ready to save the country from itself.
This is not just an academic mistake; it is a dangerous misreading of history that supports a failed status quo. The current foreign policy establishment has emptied the Roosevelt doctrine of its meaning. It has made it a blank check for endless global involvement. This occurs without any responsibility for the conditions in the country it claims to represent.
They have turned FDR’s legacy into a weapon for a vision he would not recognize. In this vision, experts in faraway capitals manage national security. This approach contrasts with relying on the strength and unity of the people on Main Street. They use his name to give the green light for action abroad. Nevertheless, they forget the main reason why he did it in the first place. It was to protect the strength, prosperity, and confidence of his own people.
This selective memory makes it possible for intervention to occur at any time. A weak domestic foundation causes anxiety and division. The elite use this anxiety and division to justify more military spending. They focus on external issues instead. This diverts resources from domestic needs. It deepens division. This is a vicious cycle that benefits the security and defense establishment at the expense of the nation’s long-term health.
They support Roosevelt’s war but not his peace. They want to be the leaders of the world, but not in their own country. They have broken the country’s strategic compass by forgetting the rule.
THE ROOSEVELT RULE FOR MODERN AMERICA: A PLAN FOR REAL SAFETY
If Franklin D. Roosevelt were writing a national security plan today, it would be very different. The recently shown document to the American people was closed-door and focused on the outside world. The fundamental “Roosevelt Rule” would follow this planned, strategic order of importance:
1. ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AS A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY
FDR’s first and most crucial goal would be what he called “freedom from want.” Before any talk of fighting with other countries…
2. Mending the divisions in the country
FDR knew that unity was essential for strategy. His second priority would be what he called “freedom from fear.” It meant not being afraid of each other. It also meant not fearing the future. He would:
– Use regular “fireside chat” style talks to talk to Americans directly
– Set up national service programs to get young Americans from different backgrounds to work together
– Make it a national security goal to lower political polarization.
His logic was that a house that is divided can’t stand, let alone lead on the world stage. The basis of lasting power is social cohesion.
3. DIPLOMATIC REENGAGEMENT FROM STRENGTH
FDR would only turn to foreign policy after he had made the country strong. He would do it this way:
– Rebuilding alliances by finding ways for both sides to gain instead of making demands
– Leading with economic diplomacy by offering trade and technology partnerships
– Using “speak softly” diplomacy while restoring America’s credibility
He reasoned that you get more friends by being stable and prosperous than by making threats and demands. People will want to follow you if you have absolute power.
4. Smart military modernisation
The military would not be his top priority; it would be his last. He would:
– Spend money on defense to deal with new threats like AI, space, and cyber.
– Stay away from never-ending wars on the ground and building nations
– Keep a strong but focused deterrent
He said that the “big stick” only works when the economy is strong and the people are united. The last thing you should use is military power.
THE DIFFERENCE WITH TODAY’S FAILED METHOD
The Roosevelt Rule is turned on its head by the 2025 NSS. It:
1. Puts fighting with other countries ahead of investing in its own country
2. Deepens divisions through processes that are exclusive and driven by elites
3. Alienates allies by making demands instead of drawing them in with leadership
4. 4. Wears down our military while ignoring its economic base
Roosevelt would think this is a crazy plan. His rule reminds us that you can’t make the world better until you make your own home better. Not in foreign capitals, but on Main Street, is where national security starts.
The way ahead is clear. We need to push for a security strategy that puts Americans first. This strategy should serve their needs, starting with their economic security. It should also focus on their communities and their sense of common purpose.
“FIRST AMERICA” OR “FIRST WORLD POLICE”?
The central contradiction is obvious: the strategy uses “America First” language to explain what is basically a “World Policeman” role.
A real “America First” policy would need to be strategic. Our national debt is over $34 trillion. Yet, we keep sending our military and money all over the world. Meanwhile, essential needs at home go unmet. This doesn’t seem to help working families. Instead, it benefits the defense industry. The industry spent more than $83 million on lobbying last year alone.
Our allies see the strategic inconsistency, which makes them think twice. They see a “rules for you, but not for me” attitude. We criticize other countries for trying to take over the region, yet we try to do the same. This weakens our moral authority. It makes partners very hesitant to agree to our plans. They don’t want to get involved in conflicts that are primarily about American politics rather than protecting everyone.
This isn’t just a theory; it’s happening right now. Japan and Australia, two crucial regional allies, have already said they won’t join proposed anti-hegemonic coalitions aimed at containing China. They say the strategy is too early and too aggressive. Also, recent ASEAN ministerial meetings ended without a joint statement. The statement was meant to support the Philippines in the South China Sea. The US put significant pressure on them to issue one. These countries want stability and strong economic ties. They are clearly saying that they would rather use diplomacy and strategic independence. They do not want to be forced to choose between great powers.
They see a plan that helps American defense contractors but worsens their own security and economic risks.
THE IMPERATIVE: SECURITY REQUIRES UNITY
Before we can talk about whether planes carriers or diplomacy are better, we need to tackle a critical issue. We also need to consider how to deal with other countries. We must face the fact that a country that isn’t united can’t be safe.
The most crucial goal of any National Security Strategy is to create a new sense of national identity. Establishing a common purpose and unity is also essential. This is not just one of many goals. It is the most important one. It must be met to reach all the others. You can’t show strength to other countries when you’re weak and divided at home.
A document written in secret by and for a political class is not only wrong. It ignores the fact that our national identity is broken. It is also dangerous. It makes the problems it claims to fix worse.
A real NSS would not be a document that came from above. It would be the result of a nationwide conversation. The main goal would be to find and promote the common civic values that can still unify us. These include freedom, equality, justice, and the rule of law. It would call for a new era of national service to bring people together again and make sacrifices together. It would make it clear that investments that help all Americans are the most important ones. These investments bring us together and supply the proper foundation for our long-term safety.
It’s not just the weapons we have that make us safe; it’s the will that uses them. That will must be shared. That must be one.
Without this shared goal, no strategy, no matter how well-funded or aggressively pursued, can ultimately work. No outside threat can ever win with it.
Getting back our national identity is not just a goal; it is the goal. That’s the plan. The rest is just commentary.
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YOUR VOICE IS IMPORTANT
In today’s complicated world, our national security relies not only on strategic decisions made behind closed doors. The health of our communities also depends on the active involvement of all citizens. For a security strategy to really work, we all need to be involved and contribute. It’s time for us to think about our future and take charge of it.
YOUR TURN: HOW CAN WE BETTER ALIGN OUR NATIONAL SECURITY POLICIES? How do these alignments meet the needs and wishes of Americans every day? What do you think you can do as an individual to help with this?
Your ideas and experiences are essential for making a future that puts the strength and unity of our communities first. Join the conversation and share your thoughts!
Tom Raquer is a retired United States Air Force Officer and former USA Army Sergeant.He served and lived in Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, The Philippines, Indonesia and East Timor.
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