One of the most common political phrases in modern America is that the country has never been more divided. Whether it appears in the news, throughout government, or even at family gatherings, the term “political polarization” has become a defining feature of the national conversation. Yet, this polarization reflects more than just dividing domestic partisan disagreement. It represents dramatic national shifts across American culture, ideals, and perspectives, and this division does not stay confined within the national borders. It ripples outward, actively shaping how the United States interacts with the world. As politics at home splinter, American grand strategy is also beginning to crack.

The United States, since its inception, has always been a more politically polarized country than most. Its two-party system has stood in some form or other since the late eighteenth century, and most internal questions, from slavery to tariffs, have always been home to fierce ideological battlegrounds. Yet, when it comes to grand strategy abroad, the United States has often retained a greater bipartisan consensus on foreign policy and national interests abroad. 

Whether it be Westward expansion in the nineteenth century, isolationism in the early 20th century, or internationalist interventionism after the Second World War, American grand strategy has historically reflected a relatively unified vision of the nation’s role in the world. Today, however, that consensus is fracturing. Political polarization has begun to directly erode the foundations of bipartisan American grand strategy, making it more volatile, inconsistent, and reactive. As administrations alternate between competing ideological extremes, long-term planning gives way to short-term political maneuvering, weakening America’s credibility and coherence abroad.

The most notable example of this can be seen in the divide over US involvement in international........

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