Foreign Entanglements

George Washington — Farewell Address

It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world; so far, I mean, as we are now at liberty to do it.

Published in 1796 as Washington chose not to seek a third term as president, the Farewell Address offered guidance for the young republic. This line, often paraphrased as a warning against "entangling alliances," shaped American foreign policy debates for well over a century.