In the twenty-first century the foreign relations role of the president is a given, but this was not so in the earlier years of our nation's existence. Which president is considered the first to envision his role as that of a world leader, and the United States as a police power, and to proactively extend his reach into the foreign policy arena?

Question

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Theodore Roosevelt is considered the first president to envision his role as a world leader and to proactively extend his reach into the foreign policy arena. He believed in "speak softly and carry a big stick" and used the power of the United States to mediate international disputes and assert its influence in global affairs. He was instrumental in negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese War and the construction of the Panama Canal, among other foreign policy initiatives.

In the Twenty-First Century the Foreign Relations Role of the President