The statement that BEST explains why the United States entered World War I in 1917 is:
D. The U.S. had evidence of a threat to its national security.
This encompasses several factors, including unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany, which threatened American shipping, and the Zimmermann Telegram, in which Germany proposed a military alliance with Mexico against the U.S. These events heightened concerns about national security and contributed to the decision to enter the war.