What does it mean to safe guard the American economic interest?

Answer 1

In general terms, the phrase 'to safeguard the American economic interest' means 'to do whatever must be done in order to ensure that America's commercial and industrial activities are not disrupted by external interference.' What the phrase (and public policy) has often led to in very practical terms are various actions by the American government to warn other nations away from involving themselves in the Western Hemisphere; or, as in World War I, to warn Germany that any interference with American merchant ships would result in negative consequences.