Long before his political rallies or presidential podiums, Donald Trump was already trying to shake up U.S. foreign policy — one full-page newspaper ad at a time.
In September 1987, the then real estate mogul shelled out $94,801 (that's more than $270,000 in today's money) on full-page ads in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe to air his grievances.
"A Little Backbone" Goes A Long Way
The ads, signed by Trump himself, came with the headline: "There's nothing wrong with America's Foreign Defense Policy that a little backbone can't cure."
He argued that the U.S. was spending too much protecting allies that didn't return the favor. The full transcript of the ad is available on the Roll Call Factba.se archive.
"The world is laughing at America's politicians," Trump wrote. "We protect ships we don't own, carrying oil we don't need, destined for allies who won't help."
The bold and unapologetic tone would later define his political persona.
America First… Even In 1987
Trump's message was clear: countries like Japan and Saudi Arabia should pay more for U.S. military protection which he said was worth “billions of dollars.” He even proposed that America tax wealthy countries instead.
Turns out, Trump’s foreign policy talking points have been remarkably consistent since the '80s.
Decades later, those same ideas — burden-sharing, national pride, and "America First", became pillars of his 2016 presidential campaign.
“The countries we defend must pay for the cost of this defence,” he said in 2016. “If not, the US must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves. We have no choice.”
See Also: Trump Puts Additional 100% Tariffs On China: Crypto, Stocks Drop
Foreshadowing The Future
The 1987 ads didn't launch Trump into politics right away, but they did spark speculation that he might one day run for office. At the time, there was speculation that Trump might challenge George H.W. Bush for the Republican presidential nomination.
More importantly, it gave Americans an early glimpse into his worldview. One that was focused on self-reliance and skepticism toward traditional alliances.
From Newsprint To The White House
Nearly 40 years later, the ad reads almost like a prelude to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. His insistence that the U.S. should stop being "laughed at" remains one of his enduring political themes.
It’s worth noting that Trump has spent much of his second term playing global dealmaker. From brokering truces between Israel and Hamas to bringing Armenia and Azerbaijan to the table, and even hosting Vladimir Putin in Alaska for Russia-Ukraine negotiations, the billionaire businessman-turned-politician has leaned heavily into the role of an unconventional peacemaker.
His foreign policy record now feels like classic Trump — bold, headline-grabbing, and anything but predictable.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
