Judging John Adams National Security-9 John Adams did a great job of protecting our country from foreign and domestic threats. For example, France used privateers to attack U.S. merchant boats. This hurt the economy as well as citizens. So John Adams sent diplomats over to France to discuss a treaty to stop France from attacking U.S. merchants. France asked for a bribe but the U.S. diplomats refused. This angered the French and almost started war. But, John Adams stopped the war by having peace talks and the tension between the United States and France died down. This prevented war and stopped the attacks on U.S. merchant ships. Economy-10