The statement that best explains the political role of the U.S. during World War I is:
Although the U.S. joined the war late, it played an influential role in the peace process.
While the U.S. entered the war in 1917, its involvement had significant impacts on the final outcome of the war and the negotiations that followed. President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points and his participation in the Paris Peace Conference were important in shaping the post-war order and the Treaty of Versailles.