Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine' Distorts Monroe's Original Passive Hemispheric Defense Strategy
Source: The American Conservative. "Giving the Monroe Doctrine a Bad Name - The American Conservative." February 26, 2026. www.theamericanconservative.com
The Gist
The author argues that Trump's aggressive approach in Latin America wrongly claims to follow the Monroe Doctrine, when actually Monroe's original 1823 policy was much more restrained - just keeping European powers out, not controlling our neighbors. Trump is really following Teddy Roosevelt's much more aggressive 1904 version that got us into trouble.
Conclusion
The Trump administration's aggressive 'Donroe Doctrine' fundamentally misrepresents the original Monroe Doctrine and should be replaced with Monroe's original passive approach to hemispheric security
Premises
- The original 1823 Monroe Doctrine was largely passive, only mandating that extra-hemispheric powers stay out or restrict themselves to current holdings
- For much of the 19th century, the U.S. relied on Great Britain's naval power to enforce hemispheric exclusion rather than acting unilaterally
- Theodore Roosevelt's 1904 corollary transformed the doctrine from passive defense into activist intervention, making domestic problems of neighbors into U.S. security issues
- The Trump administration's approach follows TR's aggressive model rather than Monroe's original vision, justifying interventions and annexations
- The original Monroe Doctrine provides a sufficient framework for hemispheric security without requiring direct control or military intervention in neighbors' domestic affairs
- Historical precedent shows that even non-allied powers can help advance U.S. hemispheric security interests, as Britain did in the 19th century
Assumptions
- Great powers naturally seek to exclude rival powers from their spheres of influence
- Geographic proximity increases military threat potential (loss of strength gradient principle)
- Passive exclusion of rival powers is sufficient for hemispheric security
- Domestic problems in neighboring countries do not inherently threaten U.S. national security
- Historical precedents provide valid guidance for contemporary foreign policy