b) William Howard Taft

‘Dollar Diplomacy,’ a term often associated with President William Howard Taft, was a foreign policy strategy that used economic power to extend American influence abroad. The approach, primarily active during Taft’s presidency (1909-1913), involved using American financial resources to support U.S. economic interests overseas, particularly in Latin America and East Asia. This policy encouraged American businesses to invest in foreign markets as a way to promote diplomatic goals and stabilize regions. Though criticized for prioritizing economic interests over political principles, Dollar Diplomacy was an early example of economic statecraft, illustrating the growing interconnection between economic and foreign policy in the early 20th century.