All comparisons between America's current place in the world and anything legitimately called an empire in the past reveal ignorance and confusion about any reasonable meaning of the concept empire, especially the comparison with the Roman Empire.
“It will be quite satisfactory if you open them gradually, as the circumstances may require; but the President assures you that this will not be the case if you make a treaty with England first.”
“Even though it has been very painful, lots of opportunities have come forward journalistically. Once all of this blows over, I think it might actually help that I have gotten this attention.”