Who said the United States wanted to make the world safe for democracy?

• A. Theodore Roosevelt
• B. Woodrow Wilson
• C. Warren G. Harding
• D. William Howard Taft

Answer: (B)

Woodrow Wilson articulated that idea when the United States entered World War I. He argued the nation needed to fight to defend democracy worldwide and to keep autocratic powers from threatening freedom. He conveyed this rationale in his war message to Congress in 1917, calling on Congress to declare war on Germany and saying the world must be made safe for democracy. That framing—linking U.S. involvement to spreading and protecting democratic values—is what makes him the correct figure associated with that statement.

The other presidents are tied to different foreign-policy approaches: Theodore Roosevelt emphasized bold, interventionist power and influence; William Howard Taft pursued economic leverage through Dollar Diplomacy; Warren G. Harding focused on returning to normalcy after the war with less expansive international action.