Former President Donald J. Trump sat down with conservative commentator Mark Levin this week for a wide-ranging interview that touched on domestic politics, the 2024 election, and his foreign policy record. Among the most striking lines came when Trump declared: “I love stopping the wars.”
The statement, delivered with his characteristic directness, underscored one of the pillars of his presidency: his repeated insistence that the United States should end “endless wars” abroad and focus instead on rebuilding strength at home.
Throughout his four years in office, Trump often contrasted his approach with that of previous administrations, Republican and Democrat alike. While critics accused him of being erratic in foreign policy, his supporters point to his record of avoiding new foreign conflicts as a significant accomplishment. Unlike Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, Trump did not start a new major war during his presidency.
In the Levin interview, Trump emphasized that his instincts were always against costly overseas entanglements. He reminded viewers that he pushed back against pressure from military and foreign policy advisers who often recommended more aggressive interventions. “They always want to fight, always want to send troops. But I said no—we need to bring our people home,” Trump told Levin.
Among the key foreign policy moves Trump highlighted:
-
Troop Drawdowns: Trump negotiated agreements to reduce U.S. troop presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the stated goal of eventually ending America’s longest war.
-
Middle East Peace Accords: His administration brokered the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab nations—a diplomatic breakthrough that many analysts thought was impossible.
-
North Korea Engagement: Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to meet directly with a North Korean leader, holding summits with Kim Jong Un in an effort to reduce nuclear tensions.
-
Avoiding Escalation: Even in moments of high tension, such as the 2020 drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, Trump resisted calls for prolonged military escalation.
Trump’s critics argue that his policies created instability, particularly in Syria and Afghanistan, and that his diplomacy with North Korea produced more spectacle than results. Still, his supporters view his record as evidence that he fulfilled a campaign promise: resisting foreign wars and prioritizing American interests.
Levin praised Trump during the interview for standing against Washington’s entrenched “war machine.” He noted that Trump’s message resonates deeply with many Americans, particularly veterans and families weary of decades-long military commitments in the Middle East.
Trump also connected his foreign policy views to broader themes of national renewal, arguing that the trillions spent overseas could have been invested in infrastructure, energy, and domestic priorities. “We rebuilt other countries, but we didn’t rebuild our own. That ends with me,” he said.
As the 2024 election approaches, Trump is once again framing himself as the candidate who can prevent unnecessary conflicts while projecting strength abroad. His line to Levin—“I love stopping the wars”—is likely to become a rallying cry, encapsulating his America First vision and contrasting himself with rivals he accuses of being too eager for intervention.
For Trump’s base, the message is clear: his presidency was about restraint abroad and strength at home. And as he courts voters again, his promise to “stop the wars” may prove just as powerful now as it was in 2016.
