Trump’s assertive strategy reshapes Western Hemisphere

As many as 20 nations in the Americas have become priorities for the administration, aiming to mitigate threats, secure supply chains, and curb drug trafficking and migration, a senior official revealed. “The president is a dealmaker who demands accountability,” the official stated. “China is now facing competition and recognizing this is our hemisphere.”

The term “Donroe Doctrine” originated in a January 8, 2025, article detailing Trump’s ambitious plans, including pursuing access to Greenland, reasserting control over the Panama Canal, and even suggesting Canada as a potential 51st state.

While Greenland’s annexation didn’t materialize, negotiations secured a defense pact granting US military access to Arctic bases. Panama subsequently withdrew from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a move Secretary of State Marco Rubio deemed crucial for canal security.

The administration has also redirected foreign aid away from progressive initiatives, reportedly contributing to victories for conservative candidates in several regional elections. Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies described the current geopolitical landscape as a “chessboard,” with the US preparing for long-term competition with China.

US military forces executed a swift operation in January 2026, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and toppling his regime. Maduro is currently detained in Brooklyn, facing charges of narcoterrorism and corruption. This action enabled Trump to negotiate an agreement securing access to a 65-billion-barrel oil reserve, with an initial shipment of 1 million barrels delivered to US refineries. Trump proclaimed that this alliance now controls “more than 60% of the oil in the world.”

The Venezuelan takeover has severely impacted communist Cuba, which is now struggling under intensified US sanctions. Trump predicts the regime’s collapse before his term concludes.

Beyond Venezuela, the US has strengthened border controls, implemented military strikes against maritime smuggling vessels, and established the 15-nation Shield of the Americas defense coalition with El Salvador, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, and Panama. The Counter Cartel Coalition includes four additional nations: Bahamas, Belize, Guatemala, and Jamaica.

The administration has also secured natural resources and reduced foreign influence. Iranian Quds Force agents previously stationed in Venezuela have been removed. Bilateral trade agreements have been established with El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Argentina, granting the US access to lithium and rare earth minerals. El Salvador has partnered with the State Department to house deported gang members in its mega-prisons.

The US has also reasserted control over the Panama Canal, with the Chinese company previously involved being removed.

White House National Security Council spokeswoman Anna Kelly stated that Trump’s actions have fostered regional stability, citing a secure southern border, cooperation with Latin American countries to combat cartels, and Maduro’s prosecution in New York.

The “Donroe Doctrine” is reportedly advancing US interests through electoral support, following the dismantling of USAID. Conservative and center-right leaders have secured victories in Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Colombia, joining Argentine President Javier Milei and El Salvador’s Bukele in a pro-US alliance.

Challenges persist, including Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s re-election in Brazil and ongoing trade disputes with Canada. Mexico is cooperating on drug and immigration control, but tariffs remain a point of contention. While Russia maintains ties with Cuba and Nicaragua, and China has invested in infrastructure in Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Guyana, the US remains committed to its strategy. Trump has even suggested that US forces returning from the Middle East, where the US and Israel began a war against Iran in February, might “stop by” Cuba.