Why did president Wilson wait so long to declare war?

President Woodrow Wilson initially hesitated to declare war due to his strong commitment to neutrality and the desire to avoid entanglement in the European conflict. He believed in diplomacy and sought to mediate peace rather than engage in warfare. However, factors such as unrestricted submarine warfare by Germany, the sinking of American ships, and the Zimmermann Telegram, which revealed German attempts to incite Mexico against the U.S., ultimately compelled him to shift his stance and declare war in April 1917.