Trump’s Renewed Focus on the Monroe Doctrine: A Strategic Vision for the Western Hemisphere
The Trump administration has unveiled an ambitious 33-page national security blueprint that prominently features a revival and expansion of the Monroe Doctrine, a nearly 200-year-old cornerstone of American foreign policy. This comprehensive plan, dubbed the “Trump Corollary,” aims to reassert American dominance in the Western Hemisphere while addressing modern challenges ranging from migration control to counteracting the growing influence of non-regional powers such as China and Russia.
The Monroe Doctrine, first articulated by President James Monroe in 1823, warned European powers against further colonization or political interference in the Americas. Though initially receiving little attention from European nations, it eventually became a fundamental principle guiding U.S. foreign relations. The Trump administration now seeks to breathe new life into this doctrine, declaring that “after years of neglect, the United States will reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere.” This revival is characterized as a “common-sense and potent restoration of American power and priorities” essential for protecting homeland security and maintaining access to key geographic areas throughout the region. The administration frames this approach as necessary in a world where competitors have made significant inroads into what has historically been considered America’s sphere of influence.
The strategy is concisely summarized in two action verbs: “enlist and expand.” The “enlist” component focuses on strengthening existing partnerships with friendly nations in the region to collectively address shared challenges like drug trafficking, illegal migration, and security threats. Importantly, the blueprint takes a pragmatic approach by emphasizing that the U.S. should be willing to work with governments that may have different political outlooks but share common interests. This suggests a more flexible diplomatic approach that prioritizes practical cooperation over ideological alignment. The document also calls for a strategic reassessment of America’s military presence in the Western Hemisphere, suggesting adjustments to how the U.S. deploys its armed forces, including the Coast Guard and Navy, to better control sea lanes, combat illegal migration, and reduce human and drug trafficking. This reflects a recognition that traditional military postures may not be optimized for addressing the most pressing security challenges in the region today.
The “expand” element of the strategy focuses on positioning the United States as the “economic and security partner of choice” throughout the Western Hemisphere. This involves not only cultivating new relationships but also discouraging regional countries from collaboration with powers outside the hemisphere. The document envisions a more prosperous Western Hemisphere where partner nations build stronger domestic economies while becoming increasingly attractive markets for American commerce and investment. To achieve this, the National Security Council is tasked with initiating a “robust interagency process” to identify strategic resources and locations in the region, with the aim of protecting them and establishing joint development opportunities with regional partners. This economic dimension reflects the administration’s understanding that geopolitical influence in the modern world is often exercised through economic relationships and infrastructure development rather than traditional military power alone.
The blueprint expresses particular concern about the growing influence of “non-hemispheric competitors” in Latin America and the Caribbean, describing their presence as creating both an immediate economic disadvantage for the United States and potential future security threats. In an assertive policy stance, the document states that U.S. alliances and aid should be made “contingent on winding down adversarial outside influence.” While acknowledging that some nations in the region have established ties with non-regional powers, the Trump administration characterizes these relationships as primarily based on convenience and affordability rather than shared values or long-term interests. The strategy proposes to counter this influence by highlighting the “hidden costs” of partnering with these outside powers, such as the risks of espionage and cybersecurity vulnerabilities, while simultaneously demonstrating that American goods and services represent better long-term investments despite potentially higher initial costs.
Beyond its focus on the Western Hemisphere, the blueprint outlines broader strategies for U.S. engagement with Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, presenting a comprehensive vision for American foreign policy under a second Trump administration. Notably, the document takes a firm stance on immigration, declaring that “the era of mass migration is over” and identifying border control as the “primary element” of U.S. national security. The overall vision presented in the document poses a stark choice to nations worldwide: “whether they want to live in an American-led world of sovereign countries and free economies or in a parallel one in which they are influenced by countries on the other side of the world.” This framing reflects the administration’s view of a world increasingly divided into competing spheres of influence, where America must actively work to maintain and expand its position or risk seeing its traditional areas of influence slip away to rival powers with different values and interests.
