A Turn Toward the Americas: Revival of the Monroe Doctrine
A Turn Toward the Americas: Revival of the Monroe Doctrine
In December 2025, the U.S. administration unveiled its new National Security Strategy (NSS), reasserting what it calls a “Trump Corollary” to the historic Monroe Doctrine. The document signals a decisive pivot: Washington intends to restore American dominance in the Western Hemisphere, pushing non‑hemispheric powers out of strategic influence zones — especially in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The primary goals under this revived doctrine: controlling migration, curbing illicit drug flows, and strengthening regional security through partnerships with “established friends.” The strategy explicitly states that “border security is the primary element of national security.”
Europe on the Defensive: “Civilizational Erasure” and NATO Freeze
For Europe, the NSS carries stark warnings. The report describes the continent as facing a “stark prospect of civilizational erasure,” attributing the threat to factors such as immigration, declining birthrates, imposed migration policies, and the influence of supranational bodies that — in the U.S.’s view — erode national identity and self‑confidence.
Consequently, the strategy advocates for halting further expansion of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and questions long‑term U.S. commitment to collective defense under existing alliance structures.
In parallel, the strategy encourages Washington to strengthen diplomatic engagement with Moscow, Russia as part of an effort to restore what it calls “strategic stability.”
Indo‑Pacific — Still in View, but Partners Must Step Up
While the Americas take center stage, the NSS does not fully abandon the Indo‑Pacific. The document emphasizes a U.S. military posture capable of “denying aggression” in the region, particularly along the “First Island Chain.” Still, it makes clear that regional partners must contribute more to their own defense.
The strategy maintains a commitment to defending the status quo in sensitive areas, such as the Taiwan Strait, signaling that Washington does not support unilateral changes to existing arrangements.
What It Means — and What’s at Stake
- The revived Monroe Doctrine signals a major shift away from global multilateral engagement toward a hemispheric foreign‑policy focus.
- For European allies, the NSS represents a rhetorical — and perhaps substantive — turn that challenges the future of NATO and trans‑Atlantic alignment.
- For countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Washington’s renewed emphasis may translate into heightened U.S. influence, but also concerns over sovereignty and regional dynamics.
- In the broader global context, this turnaround risks accelerating geopolitical fragmentation, with alliances and spheres of influence potentially redrawn based on hemispheric or regional alignments
