Reviving the Monroe Doctrine as an America First Strategy to Counter China and Cartels in Latin America
Source: "Monroe Doctrine revival drives Trump's Latin America security push | Fox News." October 23, 2026. www.foxnews.com
The Gist
The author argues that the U.S. should bring back the Monroe Doctrine and treat Latin America as a top security priority. He says China is gaining control over ports and infrastructure there and drug cartels are sending deadly drugs north, and that training and arming local partners is the best way to stop both while putting American interests first.
Conclusion
The United States should reaffirm and revive the Monroe Doctrine, prioritizing security cooperation and engagement in the Western Hemisphere, because doing so is the ideal America First strategy for countering Chinese influence and transnational criminal organizations.
Premises
- The security of the United States is directly tied to the security of the Western Hemisphere, a principle that remains as vital today as it was when Monroe articulated it.
- Transnational criminal organizations and drug-trafficking networks in Latin America threaten American communities, and strengthening partner nations through training, equipment, intelligence, and surveillance (e.g., troop training in Panama, MQ-9 drones in Colombia and Ecuador) helps dismantle them before they reach the U.S.
- China has expanded its economic and strategic footprint in Latin America through investments in ports, mining, critical infrastructure, and key industries, which gives Beijing leverage over regional economies, access to critical resources, and influence over historically reliable U.S. partners.
- Chinese-controlled infrastructure such as the Port of Chancay in Peru, run by state-owned COSCO, creates serious security concerns regarding intelligence collection, logistical support, and potential future military use.
- Effective, results-driven American diplomacy and security partnerships (e.g., Ambassador Navarro's coordination against narcoterrorists in the VRAEM region) show that a strong U.S. presence can be achieved by working with willing partners rather than acting alone.
- U.S. foreign policy and assistance should deliver tangible benefits to Americans, which requires accountability, burden-sharing by partners, and cutting wasteful programs in favor of national-security-focused initiatives.
Assumptions
- A principle from the 1820s can be applied to 21st-century geopolitics with little adaptation.
- Chinese commercial investment in ports and infrastructure is primarily a strategic/military threat rather than mainly economic activity.
- Training and equipping partner forces effectively reduces drug flows into the U.S.
- Latin American partners will welcome or tolerate expanded U.S. military involvement and will accept it as partnership rather than domination.
- Security-focused engagement is the best use of resources compared to economic, development, or diplomatic alternatives.
- The Trump administration's specific initiatives (Shield of the Americas, troop deployments, drone shifts) are effective and well-designed.