ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi, hiː hˈɛlpt fˈaʊnd ðɪ ɐmˈɛɹɪkə fˈɜːst kəmˈɪɾi tʊ əpˈoʊz jˈuː.ˈɛs. ɪnvˈɑːlvmənt ɪnðə sˈɛkənd wˈɜːld wˈɔːɹ; hiː sˈɜːvd æz ðə kəmˈɪɾiz fˈɜːst pɹˈɛzɪdənt ˌɔn ɐn ˈɪntɚɹˌɪm bˈeɪsɪs.
In 1940, he helped found the America First Committee to oppose U.S. involvement in the Second World War; he served as the committee's first president on an interim basis.