Donald Trump’s second presidency has come with a surprising, but much-needed twist: making the Western Hemisphere a top foreign policy priority, once again. For decades, U.S. leaders have shied away from asserting dominance in the hemisphere, forgetting the very foundation of American foreign policy — the 1823 Monroe Doctrine.

In 1895, Secretary of State Richard Olney fortified this doctrine, stating: “Today the United States is practically sovereign in this continent, and its fiat is law upon the subjects to which it confines its interposition.” 
For over a century, this strategic thinking guided U.S. foreign policy in the hemisphere — until Washington retreated, allowing adversaries to exploit the vacuum. After the Cold War, the Monroe Doctrine was dismissed as outdated. Some have even argued to “Let the Monroe Doctrine Die.” But abandoning regional leadership came at a cost. Rivals like China, Russia, and Iran have made inroads, filling the vacuum. The U.S., once undisputed in its own neighborhood, became weak and hesitant. Never before had American influence in Latin America been so feeble. (READ MORE: China Poses a Severe Threat in Panama and Leaves the US With No Choice.)
It was, in fact, Trump’s first term that brought signs of the Monroe Doctrine’s revival. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton emphatically declared that the Monroe Doctrine was “alive and well.” Under Biden, though, passivity returned.
Now, with Trump back, the stage is set for a bolder reassertion of U.S. hemispheric leadership in the region not seen since the Cold War. The appointments of Marco Rubio as secretary of state, a Cuban-American with vast policy experience in the region, and Christopher Landau as deputy secretary of state, a former ambassador to Mexico, signals an administration that understands the stakes. The re-prioritization of the hemisphere has already been dubbed the “Donroe Doctrine.” (READ MORE: Rejuvenating the Monroe Doctrine)
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