US foreign policy was completely changed by Theodore Roosevelt. He built up the US Navy and played a key role in the beginning of the Spanish American War, the beginning of imperial America as the successor to the British Empire. Wilson and FDR completed the work Teddy started.
But the US has two empires:
The Blue Empire - State Department, CFR, Atlantic Council, (most of) NATO, LGBTQ+ uber alles, AND
The Red Empire - US Navy, USMC, Bases, integration of combat architecture with foreign nations, sales of war machinery.
At home, the Blue Empire is hard at work trying (with some success) to conquer the Red Empire, so that one Rainbow Empire can dominate the world.
Russia is not really at war with Ukraine. Russia is trying to defeat the emerging Rainbow Empire before its final victory in Washington, and because of this aspect, this situation is a lot closer to getting out of control than it appears.