Implications of an “Americas First” Foreign Policy

The podcast explores the "Donroe Doctrine," President Trump's updated version of the Monroe Doctrine, and its implications for U.S. foreign policy in Latin America. Hal Brands explains the doctrine's motivations as both a structural response to global instability and a reflection of Trump's focus on resource control and tangible threats. Mauricio Claver-Carone emphasizes Trump's belief in regional preeminence as key to global power, highlighting security, energy, and countering China's influence. Brands suggests the U.S. military actions in the Western Hemisphere send a message to Russia and China about the limits of their influence, while also noting the potential for the U.S. to overextend itself, creating opportunities for these nations in other regions. The discussion concludes with Brands's warning about the mega risk to investors of a fundamental shift in U.S. foreign policy, potentially destabilizing the international order.