From the very beginning of Dr. Arend's presentation, I was hooked by his emphatic speaking style and clear passion for the subject he presented.  It was fascinating to see how Dr. Arend incorporated historical elements such as Washington’s Farewell Address and Wilson’s League of Nations into his presentation while making connections and contrasts between the sentiments proposed by these American leaders in the past and the ideals of the current Trump Administration. One aspect of Dr. Arend’s presentation that stuck out to me was his description of tariffs issued by the Trump Administration this morning on Mexico, Canada, and China as betraying the ideal of rule-based order.  This piece struck me as particularly important because I had just learned in history class that the increased tariffs issued by the Hoover Administration in 1930 both impeded the global economy and largely worsened the Great Depression. With this information in mind, I worry about the ramifications of this morning’s increased tariffs because, as Dr. Arend said, even if these tariffs are rescinded within the next week, their implications on the United States’ relationship with other countries will linger forever. I would like to thank Dr. Arend for taking the time to come speak at Poly and for further educating me on America’s historical progression through isolationism, multilateralism, and imperialism.