Earlier quoted context omitted.
A thread on HN is a far cry from what a typical American thinks. America doesn’t need to take over other nations in the parochial sense. Rather the number of bases the US has established throughout the world accomplish manifest destiny in a modern fashion. No other country has or has ever had this level or scale of military deployment.
I didn't really want to bash on the US too hard but yeah. America has over five hundred overseas military bases. To say no other country even comes close is an understatement. I'm not even saying the US overseas forces are bad. They've been misused, yes, but I don't want to argue about that - it's complicated. To disclaim America's outsize global ambitions, however - for whatever purpose - is just laughable.
In fact I hear more about Cascadia or Texas seceding than I do about the USA adding new states or territories.