I’m certainly not arguing that the US’s behavior in this case is good, I’m just not seeing the connection to fascism.

Authoritarianism is about a government’s relationship to its own citizens, not its posture towards foreign governments. An authoritarian country can be completely isolationist, like North Korea, or warlike and expansionist like nazi Germany.

For fascism a hallmark is government capture of business within the country. It can take the form of cooperation like the US’s relationship with BP, but ultimately this kind of cooperation is about fulfilling the totalitarian regime’s goals, not the businesses.

Primary to fascism is NATIONALISM, like your second quote states. Arguably the US is well down the road to fascism, we have a cult of personality building around Trump, focused on making the US “great again”, demonizing and othering his opposition within the country. If he were to seize power I’d argue we’re there. I just don’t think our colonialist mindset towards other countries is a symptom or indication of fascism. It’s just yet another way we’re a garbage country.