How isolationist are American conservatives really? An interview with Stephen Mansfield

It’s 2025 and we’ve got a new year, new Congress, new President, and a very different political landscape in the US and abroad. How, then, should America conduct itself on the world stage? How will the new Trump administration approach the many simmering conflicts around the world while navigating the still fluid political realignment at home? Are we entering a period of renewed American isolationism? To answer these questions (and a whole lot more), I talk about the future of American foreign policy with New York Times bestselling author Stephen Mansfield. I’ve been reading Stephen’s books since high school, and I highly recommend his podcast, The Stephen Mansfield Podcast. Stephen brings decades of experience in historical research and writing, and international experience to bear on these big questions surrounding the future of American foreign policy. Our focus in this discussion is exploring the future of American foreign policy, particularly in the realigned Republican Party under Donald Trump, and what a conservative view of foreign policy may look like going forward. Is there room for an internationalist conservative vision of foreign policy in an expanded GOP tent, or will the isolationist instincts of Donald Trump and his MAGA base prevail? In this wide ranging conversation, we talk about everything from the Middle East and the Kurds to Winston Churchill to what a Trump 2.0 foreign policy could look like. Just a reminder Get a weekly dose of analysis on world events by signing up for my Substack newsletter.  Subscribe to Tim Talks Politics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today and get 30% off for being a loyal listener!