Trump and the Western Hemisphere
Brief History of US FP in WH
‘Monroe’ Doctrine
Outlined by President James Monroe in 1823
Early ‘spheres of influence’ doctrine where great powers would have their own spheres
Was focused on keeping further eu colonialism out of Americas
Was somewhat enforced by Britain which was the hegemonic power and ‘global cop’ at the time
Britain also wanted other EU powers out of Americas to promote free trade and British dominance
Roosevelt Corollary
More assertive addition on the Monroe Doctrine outlined by Republican President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt in 1904
US would intervene in countries within the Americas to maintain its interests
Reflected US as emerging great power and Roosevelt’s ‘big stick’ FP
Key examples - Roosevelt’s military support for Panama’s independence from Columbia
‘Gunboat diplomacy’ as US navy prevented Columbia from stopping Panama independence
Allowed for the building of the Panama canal and US control
Monroe Doctrine and Cold War
Focus shifted from European colonialism to Soviet communism
Aim was to keep Soviets and communism out of the Americas
Various presidents invoked the Monroe doc to justify US interventions
Cuba
1952 coup by military overthrows democratically elected government and installs pro-US Batista
Fidel Castro starts revolutionary movement against Batista
1959 Cuban revolution overthrows government and shifts Cuba to communism
Cuba exiles in Miami, FL are strongly anti-Castro and pro-Republican
1961 Bay of Pigs invasion by CIA-trained Cuban exiles failed
Cuban missiles crisis in 1962 and embargo since then
Rebels and Dictators
US focus on anti-communism led to support for anti-communist rebels and pro-US dictators to keep Soviets out
CIA coup in Guatemala
Contra rebels in Nicaragua
Pinochet in Chile, etc.
Panama
1989 US invades Panama
Arrested dictator President Noriega
Noriega exported drugs and threatened the security of the Panama canal
Venezuela
In 1999, socialist government of Hugo Chávez elected
Strongly anti-US, supported Cuba and had growing ties with Iran
2007 Chávez nationalizes oil industry and takes assets of US oil companies
Chávez died and is succeeded by Nicolas Maduro
2017 starts shifting toward a dictatorship
2018 disputes election results and stays in power
Trump 1.0 imposes sanctions, embargoes, etc.
Realism, Multipolarity, Spheres of Influence
Preview: realism argues that hegemonic power carries the seed of its own destruction due to ‘imperial overstretch’
Hegemonic state provides global security, free trade, and foreign aid at the expense of its economy
Rival powers ‘free ride’ and catch up, creating a multipower world order
For realists, shift from hegemony to multipolarity requires a strategy of ‘spheres of influence’ and ‘containment/offshore balancing’
Spheres of influence means recognizing spheres of other great powers and staying out to avoid conflict and conserve resources.
Spheres of influence means pulling back bases, foreign aid, ect. from other spheres to slow overstretch and decline
Instead, priority is on maintaining influence on own sphere and keeping other great powers out
Can include ignoring wishes of smaller powers
Containment
Means preventing other great powers from getting too powerful and expanding outside their sphere
‘Offshore balancing’ means supporting allies in other spheres to balance against great power rather having own military in their sphere
Conservative Nationalism and Multipolarity
They want rollback
Conservative nationalism leans towards isolationism
It often draws on realist ideas related to restraint
‘Spheres of influence’ approach overlaps with nationalist focus on fewer bases, less foreign aid and fewer wars of choice
Aligns with other MAGA goals on immigration, resources, narcotics
‘Donroe’ Doctrine
Trump adopted a Monroe doctrine spheres of influence approach in the 2025 National Security Strategy
‘Donroe’ Doctrine or the Trump corollary (similar to Roosevelt corollary)
1.Keep other great powers, specially China, out of the hemisphere
No military forces
No ownership or control of strategic assets and resources
No alliances with socialist govts
2.Ensure access to strategic resources
Oil and critical minerals
Panama canal
Artic, greenland, northwest passage
3.Intervene in the Americas to:
Maintain borders prevent illegal migration
Prevent drug trafficking
‘Roll-back’ socialist governments
Donroe doctrine explains Trump’s actions towards:
Mexico and canada
Gulf of Mexico renamed to gulf of America
Venezuela and cuba
Greenland
Others
Venezuela
US naval build-up, strikes on drug boats, oil tankers seized
Military operation to capture President Maduro
Regime remained but gave Trump control over oil
US oil companies returning and China pushed out
Greenland
Greenland is a key strategic location due to shipping routes, missile defense, minerals
US already has bases and Greenland would allow more
Trump wanted to add territory for legacy and used Venezuela operation to bluff
Cuba
Florida Cubans and neocons have long wanted Cuba
Blocking Venezuela oil and aid to Cuba was key
Trump and Rubio pressuring Cuba and leaders to make a deal