The Donroe Doctrine

Vincent J. Curtis

2 Feb 26

Trump’s National Security Strategy is primarily about economic, and America’s primary adversary in a global economic and political struggle is China. Trump says, “The choice all countries should face is whether they want to live in an American-led world of sovereign countries and free economies or in a parallel one in which they are influenced by countries on the other side of the world.”

Readers of this space will be familiar with the Monroe Doctrine, proclaimed by President James Monroe in 1823. It warns European powers against colonialism in the Western Hemisphere, and declares the Western Hemisphere as the sphere of influence of the United States. The Trump Corollary of the Monroe Doctrine, or the ‘Donroe’ Doctrine, reaffirms the Monroe Doctrine and extends it as follows: “We will deny non-Hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets, in our Hemisphere.” Trump was 18 years old during the Cuban missile crisis.

“The United States must be preeminent in the Western Hemisphere as a condition of our security and prosperity.”

The Strategy emphasizes persuasion over bullying by the US for its selfish ends. “We will enlist established friends in the Hemisphere to control migration, stop drug flows, and strengthen stability and security on land and sea. We will expand by cultivating and strengthening new partners while bolstering our own nation’s appeal as the Hemisphere’s economic and security partner of choice.”

Canada might not have enlisted under the ‘Trump Corollary,’ but she volunteered seventy years ago in the NORAD agreement to partner with the United States in the defense of North America.  The “alternative defense partners” referenced applies to Cuba, Panama, and Venezuela which allied themselves with powers inimical to US interests and hostile to the Monroe Doctrine. Russia, China, Iran, and perhaps Hezbollah are the unnamed alternative defense partners. Mexico, for all its long history of animosity with the US, has mostly adhered to the Western Hemisphere concept in its disputes with the US. (e.g. rejecting the Zimmermann Note, 1917.)

Trump has in mind how the United States fought WWII. America’s supply chains and all essential war resources were practically secure from German and Japanese intervention. Extra oil came from Venezuela; coal, iron, steel, ship building, munitions, Canadian uranium, factories were all secure. Tomorrow’s war essentials, the rare earths, are being dealt with by Trump now.

“The United States will prioritize commercial diplomacy, to strengthen our own economy and industries, using tariffs and reciprocal trade agreements as powerful tools. The goal is for our partner nations to build up their domestic economies, while an economically stronger and more sophisticated Western Hemisphere becomes an increasingly attractive market for American commerce and investment.”  China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ Trump sees as a direct threat to American influence. Not much in this for Canada, except perhaps to steer clear of China, and a clue to us to look to Latin America more closely for trade. (Brazil has 213 million people.)

Without saying ‘China’ explicitly, the Strategy aims to reduce China’s alarming influence in Latin America. “Non-Hemispheric competitors have made major inroads into our Hemisphere, both to disadvantage us economically in the present, and in ways that may harm us strategically in the future. Allowing these incursions without serious pushback is another great American strategic mistake of recent decades.”  Venezuela was under Chinese and Iranian influence before the seizure of Maduro, and Trump is now putting pressure on long-time Russian ally, Cuba. Trump forced China to give up control of the popular app TikTok, and has forced Panama to end Chinese control of port facilities on either end of the Panama Canal.

Canada can make peace with Trump by balancing its trade with America. One stone that kills many birds at once is to purchase lots of needed military gear from America: aircraft, both fixed and rotary-wing; ships, artillery systems, and tanks. Otherwise, Canada should increase American imports, and find alternatives to China.

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