“You are either with us or against us,” words spoken by George W. Bush in an address to the joint session of the US Congress (2001) following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre. In its contemporary foreign policy doctrine, the US has perceived its friends, allies, and foes in this way. This also summarises many interventionist policies of Washington, whether in the Middle East or Latin America. The recent American intervention in Venezuela was the beginning of a new age for America, reclaiming its role in the world.

By Farid Shukurlu
Despite the opposition of the international community, the US administration ordered the abduction of a wanted and in New York court indicted narcoterrorist who ruled as the de facto president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. This surgically precise operation was carried out by Delta Force, an elite unit in the US Army, with no casualties recorded on the American side.

The Trump Doctrine applies "peace through strength" in the Western Hemisphere through a revived Monroe Doctrine variant, using precise, limited military actions (special operations, standoff strikes, cyber) without sustained ground troops. Similar to that of U.S. President James Monroe (1823), who stated that European powers should not interfere in the Western Hemisphere, which the U.S. considered its sphere of influence. In return, the U.S. would not meddle in European affairs.

As per Trump, hostile regimes face a clear choice: adopt pro-American policies or risk externally enabled regime change, leaving local populations as the primary agents of political realignment. His administration justified this operation due to the indictment of Maduro on drug trafficking charges by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). This mission’s success also aligns with the country's newly released National Security Strategy (NSS), which prioritises a robust response to hemispheric threats, such as cartels and foreign incursions.

Maduro’s government posed an existential threat to the security and safety of American citizens by allowing the IRGC to operate and train Venezuelan armed forces. In contrast, the Chinese and Russian governments could access Caracas’ valuable natural resources with their growing footprint in Latin America.

During the press conference, Marco Rubio also cited the Cuban security influence in Venezuela, which will ultimately be weakened after Maduro’s capture. It has long been publicly acknowledged that Cuban intelligence agents and guards have dominated every echelon of the Venezuelan establishment.

President Trump went on to label Cuba ‘a failed nation’ in ruins because of the incompetence of its communist government. He also issued an ultimatum to Colombian President Gustavo Petro to halt enabling drug production and smuggling into the US. These strong-worded statements are a reflection of the strategy’s ‘Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine’ section that prioritises enlistment of American hemispheric influence against narco-terrorism and illegal migration.

The military operation in Venezuela is proof of the new strategy in the Western Hemisphere and its defiance of a multipolar order. It aims at removing any economic and political power of states like China, Russia, and Iran (the axis of evil). The NSS ensures American assertiveness is implemented to tackle drug trafficking, expand partnerships for better stability, and strengthen essential branches of the armed forces, such as the Coast Guard, against narcoterrorists and illegal aliens.

President Trump recently appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland to advance the country’s security interests, underscoring the principles of national security. The island has given rise to many global powers considered hostile to American security and interests.

It is full of rare-earth materials and can be used to launch an attack against the country if it falls into the wrong hands. The Danish PM, Mette Frederiksen, strongly condemned the appointment, stating that any attempt to invade the island would result in the dissolution of NATO. Many EU member states also voiced their support for the territorial integrity of Denmark’s overseas territory.

One of the most eye-catching policies of the Trump Administration is its approach against the Iranian regime, which is based on maximum pressure to divert them from developing nuclear weapons. As a result of the twelve-day war that also involved the US intervention in bombing three Iranian nuclear sites, it is now apparent that the “American Way” no longer tolerates extended deadlines and unkept promises from autocratic regimes.

However, the most significant change to American policy in the Middle East derives from the avoidance of so-called “forever” wars. Before moving to work extensively on other issues, the Iranian question will be resolved by a joint US-Israeli military response if the protests fail to materialise any viable result. It seems the Post-Maduro momentum in Latin America is likely to expand to coordinated actions against the Islamic regime. 

The “Trade War” with China exposed America’s miscalculation regarding its dependency on rare earth minerals (the US imports 70 per cent of its rare earth minerals from China). Still, it also led to a new approach to diplomatic and economic dialogue with C6+1 countries that possess natural wealth to help the US reduce its dependency on Chinese minerals.

The strategy mandates re-securing access to critical minerals and reindustrialisation to counter economic vulnerabilities, paralysing China’s leverage in a multipolar order. Latin American resource partnerships further insulate US supply chains, fostering a hemisphere-led global realignment. The opening of the TRIPP will also play an instrumental role in strengthening trade relations between Central Asia and the United States via the Middle Corridor.