Vice President JD Vance ignited a nationwide debate when he invoked the Christian principle of ordo amoris — “rightly ordered love” — to argue that American leaders must first serve their own citizens before extending aid beyond U.S. borders.
Speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Vance stated, “As an American leader, but also just as an American citizen, your compassion belongs first to your fellow citizens. That doesn’t mean you hate people from outside of your own borders, but there’s this old-school [concept] — and I think it’s a very Christian concept, by the way — that you love your family, and then you love your neighbor, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then, after that, you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.”
Vance added: “A lot of the far Left has completely inverted that. They seem to hate the citizens of their own country and care more about people outside their own borders. That is no way to run a society.”
The backlash was swift, with critics, including British politician and professor Rory Stewart, challenging Vance’s remarks. Unfazed, Vance urged on X to “Just google ordo amoris.” In his post, he argued that rejecting a hierarchy of obligations defies basic common sense.
The concept of ordo amoris originates from St. Augustine’s City of God, which argued that virtue is rooted in the proper ordering of one’s affections. This idea was later developed by St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica, where he established a specified placement of loves that begins with God, followed by oneself, then one’s family, and finally extending outward to the broader community and world. Aquinas’ framework, known as ordo caritatis (order of charity), clarifies that while all humans are worthy of love, our immediate moral obligations lie with those closest to us. This principle does not negate love for strangers but acknowledges that practical responsibilities begin at home.
Understanding this framework helps clarify Vance’s position. His remarks are not about exclusion but about recognizing a moral order that has been affirmed by theological and philosophical traditions alike — one that reflects the biblical structure of love — beginning with God, then oneself, then family, community, and nation — before extending outward to the world.
1 Timothy 5:8 states, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
Jeremiah 29:7 advises, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
Even Jesus adhered to an order of priority. His initial mission was focused on “the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).
The Necessity of “America First”
Throughout history, every strong civilization has operated on the principle of prioritizing its own people. The Roman Empire, for example, built a vast network of infrastructure and institutions to benefit its citizens, ensuring the stability and prosperity of the empire. Likewise, the American Founders established a nation with the explicit goal of securing the blessings of liberty for themselves and their posterity.
The Declaration of Independence clearly states that governments are instituted to secure the inalienable rights of individuals — chief among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution further establishes that the government’s role is to protect its citizens’ rights and promote their welfare. The Founders were not engaging in idealistic rhetoric; their intent was practical: to create a system that would ensure the security and prosperity of the American people.
Today, many nations prioritize their own citizens over foreign aid. Japan enforces strict immigration policies, ensuring that resources support domestic stability first. Denmark has implemented strict immigration controls, shifting its focus from integration to repatriation and increasing deportations. The United Kingdom enforces stringent border policies to deter illegal migration and remove unlawful residents. Even Nordic countries, often praised for their humanitarian efforts, maintain firm immigration laws to balance internal stability with global outreach. This approach of national prioritization is common among prosperous nations. Critics may argue that such prioritization diminishes global aid; however, even nations with strong humanitarian commitments first ensure their own stability before extending resources outward.
Catholic Philosopher Edward Feser echoed Vance’s sentiment, arguing that prioritizing one’s own family and countrymen is a fundamental aspect of human nature. In a tweet, Feser criticized the notion that all human beings have equal moral duties to one another, calling it a product of liberalism’s radical individualism.
He wrote, “The correct view (common to Confucius, Aristotle, Aquinas, and the common sense of mankind in general) is that our social nature and its consequent obligations manifest themselves first and foremost in the family, then in local communities, then in the nation as a whole, and only after that in our relationship to mankind in general.”
Critics argue that Vance’s hierarchy of love is exclusionary and tribalist. However, the simple concept of hierarchy is not about exclusion but order. God created hierarchy in various aspects of life.
Ephesians 5:22-25 states, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her… Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord… Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”
These verses illustrate the importance of structured relationships and responsibilities.
Acts 17:26 further emphasizes this point: “He determined the allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”
Even Jesus followed an order of love, beginning His mission with Israel before extending it to the world (Matthew 15:24, Acts 1:8). Rejecting ordo amoris does not create justice; it creates chaos.
The Consequences of Neglecting National Responsibility
Western society is crumbling because it has abandoned the principle of ordered love. Families are broken, communities are lawless, and national identity is dissolving. Vance is not calling for exclusion; he is calling for leadership. A strong nation builds strong communities, strong communities produce strong families, and strong families create a stable society. This is not an abstract idea; it is the very foundation upon which civilization stands. It’s time to stop apologizing for this truth.
When a nation neglects the well-being of its citizens, the focus shifts from governance to ideologies that prioritize external concerns over domestic stability. The consequences are evident in rising crime rates, increasing division, and the erosion of public trust in institutions. The essence of national strength lies in the ability to ensure the security, opportunity, and prosperity of one’s own people first, before turning attention externally.
Ordo Amoris is Latin for America First
The path forward, as the Trump — Vance Admin has called for, lies in restoring a sense of duty to the American people. A nation’s strength is built from within, not by sacrificing its own citizens for the sake of global concerns. Ordo amoris — the principle of rightly ordered love — is the bedrock of this argument. This Christian moral framework, which places family, community, and nation before the world, is as relevant today as it was in ancient times. The idea is simple but profound: the stability and prosperity of a nation depend on prioritizing the well-being of its citizens above all else.
Vance’s remarks echo a timeless truth — that the priority of family, community, and nation is the foundation of a strong, flourishing society. It is time for America to return to this essential principle and Vance is leading the charge.
Ordo Amoris. America First.
Bethany Miller is a fellow at Concerned Women for America and Managing Editor of CrossPolitic News. A South Asian American writer, her reporting delivers classy conservative commentary on the conversations of our time. You can find her on Instagram and X @bethanyymmiller
