politics
March 14, 2026
The ‘Jolene doctrine’: retired US army general likens Trump foreign policy to Dolly Parton song
Stanley McChrystal said White House has a ‘we should do because we can’ approach to international relations
TL;DR
- General Stanley McChrystal likens Donald Trump's foreign policy approach to the lyrics of Dolly Parton's "Jolene," summarizing it as "we should do because we can."
- McChrystal expressed concern that this doctrine might be how the world views the US under Trump's leadership.
- The article references recent US military strikes in Nigeria, Venezuela, and Iran, as well as Trump's interest in Greenland, as examples of this policy.
- A White House spokesperson countered that Trump had restored the US's "place as leader of the free world."
- McChrystal emphasized the critical importance of allies and strong international relationships, stating that a nation can never be powerful enough to act alone.