This is a remarkable claim to many: to Iranians, Guatemalans, Indonesians, Chileans, Salvadorans, Brazilians, Hondurans and others who lost democratic governance because of United States interference in their countries and who lost countrymen to the death squads and torture chambers of totalitarian regimes that followed. Millions have died under the direct assault of American weaponry — in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Panama, Afghanistan and Syria.

The whitewash of history shames all of us. President Trump lays bare what has always been the core of American foreign policy: military and economic imperialism for the purpose of market and resource exploitation.

SARAH E. DURAND, NEW YORK

To the Editor:

Kori Schake might have mentioned President Trump’s silent partner in his destructive attack on the world order she claims to revere — the Republican Party. With control of both houses of Congress, the party has the power to block the president’s mindless, go-it-alone agenda but refuses to. The founders of the American Experiment were well aware of the danger of an irresponsible executive and provided multiple mechanisms to deal with it. Our elected leaders have failed this test of trust and must be held accountable in November.

ERIC R. CAREY, ARLINGTON, VA.

To the Editor:

While I agree with Kori Schake that Donald Trump has damaged our standing in the world and will continue to do so, his actions should not be considered a Trump “doctrine.” The president’s actions appear to be motivated by his juvenile need to be the center of attention and his insatiable need for approbation from people he perceives as powerful men (never mind that they are mostly ruthless autocrats and greedy, unscrupulous businessmen), as well as his obsession with amassing personal wealth. Add to that his need to surround himself with readily compliant flatterers and sycophants.

To try to find a pattern in his (often incoherent) words and actions is a waste of time, except if one is seeking to characterize the nature of his mental pathology. The fact that occasionally he seems to do or say something that might help our country is no more a reason for hope than is the timeworn observation that a stopped clock is right twice a day.

BRUCE L. WILDER

NEW ORLEANS

To the Editor:

President Trump might be threatening military retrenchment from foreign commitments, but so far it’s just bluster, and whether he tries or not, there’s no indication he wants to reduce military spending. Mr. Trump’s biggest threat to our nation is his fundamental hostility to liberalism everywhere, including domestically, not his unwillingness to defend it abroad. He wants to bring militarism home — to our borders, to our cities, to “homeland security.”

The United States cannot defend democracy abroad when its institutions are under attack within the United States. Our power overseas was based on the projection of our internal strength and our commitment to the rule of law. Despite the sins of our history, we aspired to a more just world. This is what those of us who oppose Mr. Trump and the ascendant reactionary, nativist wing of the Republican Party see slipping away, with potentially horrifying consequences. After years of pumping up American nationalism to support international adventurism, our political leaders have created a monster they cannot control.