In this episode of Diplomatic Immunity, host Kelly McFarland sits down with presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, to explore one of the most consequential partnerships in American foreign policy history: James Monroe and his Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams.
They dig into the origins of the Monroe Doctrine, why Adams famously turned down a British alliance offer, and what it actually meant to declare the Western Hemisphere off-limits to European imperial expansion in 1823. From the Adams-Onís Treaty to the Greek War of Independence, this conversation reveals just how much of early American foreign policy was shaped by Adams’ extraordinary global experience — and why his vision remains remarkably relevant today.
Topics covered:
- The Monroe-Adams partnership and the post-War of 1812 landscape
- The Adams-Onís Treaty and the acquisition of Florida
- The origins and three components of the Monroe Doctrine
- Why did Adams reject the British alliance offer
- Adams’ famous July 4th address: “America does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy”
- John Quincy Adams’ presidency and his forward-thinking approach to Latin American alliances
- Why the Monroe Doctrine keeps coming back — and why context matters
Listen to the episode
The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity.
Produced by Freddie Mallinson and Mislav Majcan. Recorded on April 20, 2026.
Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world.
Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.