With bombs and bravado, Trump puts his own stamp on Reagan’s ‘peace through strength’ mantle
November 1, 2025
It wasn’t so long ago that President Donald Trump spoke of building a legacy as a peacemaker. In his inaugural address, he said he would in part measure his success by “the wars that we end — and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.” But nine months into his second term, Trump is beating a curious path to executing his “peace through strength” foreign policy agenda. That’s a phrase he borrowed from Ronald Reagan, who saw building a strong military and economy as the bedrock to Soviet deterrence. Trump’s update on the Cold War doctrine includes sharper threats, bombings and no shortage of bravado.