---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea that putting Americans 'first'…"
description: "\"The idea that putting Americans 'first' requires a withdrawal from the world is simply wrongheaded because a retreat would achieve exactly the opposite..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d08/colin-powell-691_achieve_the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-re_2372386.jpg"
---

#  The idea that putting Americans 'first' requires a…

![“The idea that putting Americans 'first' requires a withdrawal from the world is simply wrongheaded because a retreat would achieve exactly the opposite for our citizens.” quote by Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d08/colin-powell-691_achieve_the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-re_2372386.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d08/colin-powell-691_achieve_the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-re_2372386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d08/colin-powell-691_achieve_the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-re_2372386.jpg)

> “The idea that putting Americans 'first' requires a withdrawal from the world is simply wrongheaded because a retreat would achieve exactly the opposite for our citizens.”

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Prioritizing national interests by isolating globally undermines those very interests.

**In simple terms:** Isolation harms national goals.

Key Takeaway

Engage globally to protect national interests.

Themes

foreign policy globalism national interest interdependence strategy

Mood

strategic optimistic

Type

political policy

When to use this quote

- trade negotiations
- military alliances
- diplomacy

Key Concepts

political science economics geopolitics

Questions to Reflect On

- How does global engagement benefit citizens?
- What are risks of withdrawing?

A Different Perspective

Isolation may have short‑term appeal.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [Putting Americans at risk for a political reason I think is wrong and I think it's unfortunate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pataki/putting-americans-at-risk-for-a-political-reason-i-think-is-wrong-and/)

[George Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pataki/)

> [In monasteries, seminaries, retreats and synagogues, they fear hell and seek paradise. Those who know the mysteries of God never let that seed be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/in-monasteries-seminaries-retreats-and-synagogues-they-fear-hell-and/)

[Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/)

> [A woman's noblest station is retreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lyttelton-1st-baron-lyttelton/a-woman-s-noblest-station-is-retreat/)

[George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lyttelton-1st-baron-lyttelton/)

> [And the reason is found in the first lie - the lie which you hold as the truth about God - that God cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/and-the-reason-is-found-in-the-first-lie-the-lie-which-you-hold-as/)

[Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/)

> [Some actors get fired up by the sound of the audience. I just want to retreat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/some-actors-get-fired-up-by-the-sound-of-the-audience-i-just-want-to/)

[Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/)

> [All writers are obviously neurotic... For various reasons, writers retreat into an imaginary world because they find ordinary life rather difficult or boring or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-koch/all-writers-are-obviously-neurotic-for-various-reasons-writers/)

[Christopher Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-koch/)

> [“I want my heart to be the thin place. I don't want to board a plane to feel the kiss of heaven. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-white/i-want-my-heart-to-be-the-thin-place-i-don-t-want-to-board-a-plane-to/)

[Anna White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-white/)

> [If I turned towards books, it was because they were the only sanctuary I knew, one I needed in order to survive, to protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/if-i-turned-towards-books-it-was-because-they-were-the-only-sanctuary/)

[Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/)

> [A man may be accused of cowardice for fleeing away from all manner of physical dangers but when things supernatural, insubstantial and inexplicable threaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/a-man-may-be-accused-of-cowardice-for-fleeing-away-from-all-manner-of/)

[Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/)

> [Or maybe a person is just made up of a lot of peopleMaybe we’re accumulating these new selves all the time. Hauling them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jandy-nelson/or-maybe-a-person-is-just-made-up-of-a-lot-of-peoplemaybe-we-re/)

[Jandy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jandy-nelson/)

> [I have a place in New England. It's in the middle of nowhere, like horror movie style - Stephen King-ville. It's a good kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-momsen/i-have-a-place-in-new-england-it-s-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-like/)

[Taylor Momsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-momsen/)

> [I tell my retreat students that they need to remember two things: to eat what they want when they're hungry and to feel what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/i-tell-my-retreat-students-that-they-need-to-remember-two-things-to/)

[Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/)

> [What is wrong with looking muscular? Muscles are beautiful. Strength is beautiful. Muscle tissue is beautiful. It is metabolically, medically, and philosophically beautiful. Muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-angier/what-is-wrong-with-looking-muscular-muscles-are-beautiful-strength-is/)

[Natalie Angier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-angier/)

> [I decided to lock myself in. A forced segregation. Sabbatical. A retreat into myself. My selves. Play hide and go seek in the looking-glass.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/i-decided-to-lock-myself-in-a-forced-segregation-sabbatical-a-retreat/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/)

[Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/)

## More by Colin Powell

> [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Effective leaders are made, not born. They learn from trial and error, and from experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/effective-leaders-are-made-not-born-they-learn-from-trial-and-error/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Decision-making is lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/decision-making-is-lonely/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [The purposes of the United States should not be doubted. The Security Council resolutions will be enforced - the just demands of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-purposes-of-the-united-states-should-not-be-doubted-the-security/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [I always like to take my time and examine the two candidates, see not only the two candidates but the policies they will bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/i-always-like-to-take-my-time-and-examine-the-two-candidates-see-not/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [We can seldom get our children to do what we tell them, but they almost never fail to imitate us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-can-seldom-get-our-children-to-do-what-we-tell-them-but-they/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/with-respect-to-where-we-are-now-we-have-a-voluntary-army-and-if-we/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [There are no secrets to success: don't waste time looking for them, success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/there-are-no-secrets-to-success-don-t-waste-time-looking-for-them/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [So like any football or basketball coach, you always always believe you're going to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/so-like-any-football-or-basketball-coach-you-always-always-believe/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [We hope that more assistance will be available to the nations of the region, to include Egypt, on the three pillars that I discussed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/we-hope-that-more-assistance-will-be-available-to-the-nations-of-the/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons is the existence of mobile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/one-of-the-most-worrisome-things-that-emerges-from-the-thick/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Pissing people off doesn't mean you're doing the right things, but doing the right things will almost inevitably piss people off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/pissing-people-off-doesn-t-mean-you-re-doing-the-right-things-but/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-less-you-associate-with-some-people-the-more-your-life-will/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Be careful what you choose: You may get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/be-careful-what-you-choose-you-may-get-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

[Explore all 408 Colin Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

## More Achieve quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/)

[Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/)

> [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/)

[Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/)

Deon Taylor

> [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/)

Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera

> [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/)

[Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/)

> [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/)

[Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/)

> [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/)

[Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/)

> [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/)

[Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/)

Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The idea that putting Americans 'first' requires a withdrawal from the world is simply wrongheaded because a retreat would achieve exactly the opposite for our citizens.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Colin Powell"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-requires-a-withdrawal-from-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Achieve"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-requires-a-withdrawal-from-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d08/colin-powell-691_achieve_the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-re_2372386.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d08/colin-powell-691_achieve_the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-re_2372386.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d08/colin-powell-691_achieve_the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-re_2372386.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The idea that putting Americans 'first' requires a withdrawal from the world is simply wrongheaded because a…” — Colin Powell",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Colin Powell",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The idea that putting Americans 'first'...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-requires-a-withdrawal-from-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/the-idea-that-putting-americans-first-requires-a-withdrawal-from-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```