During the presidency of John Adams, both France and Britain

During Adams’s presidency, both France and Britain interfered with American shipping and seized U.S. vessels. France’s seizures helped lead to the Quasi-War, while Britain also captured American ships during its conflict with France. The answer is D, “seized US ships”; the demand for bribes was associated specifically with France in the XYZ Affair, not both countries.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.