Trump Unveils ‘Donroe Doctrine’ to Reassert U.S. Grip on the Western Hemisphere

A New Chapter in Hemisphere Policy

MIAMI—Donald Trump strode to the microphone at the Freedom Tower on Tuesday night, flashed a grin, and did what he does best: rebrand the past. In a 42-minute speech heavy on nostalgia and tough talk, the former president announced what he called the Donroe Doctrine—his 21st-century riff on the 200-year-old Monroe Doctrine.

From Monroe to ‘Donroe’

“James Monroe told Europe to stay out. I’m telling everyone—friend or foe—America is back in charge,” Trump boomed. The crowd of Cuban-American business leaders erupted, waving red, white, and blue signs printed hours earlier by the local GOP.

The original 1823 doctrine warned European powers against new colonization in the Americas. Trump’s version, scribbled on hotel stationery and flashed to reporters, widens the lens: trade tariffs, energy infrastructure, and even social-media oversight south of the border. Critics call it sweeping; supporters call it overdue.

“We will not allow China, Russia, or any foreign flag to buy our backyard,” Trump declared. “If you want to invest here, you build here, you hire here.”

What the Donroe Doctrine Actually Says

• Automatic 10 % tariff on any Latin import subsidized by a “non-market actor”—read Beijing.
• Fast-track permits for U.S. liquefied-natural-gas terminals in Texas and Louisiana to undercut Venezuelan oil.
• A proposed “Hemisphere Investment Bank” capitalized with $20 billion in U.S. Treasuries to counter China’s Belt & Road loans.
• Annual review of social-media platforms for “hemisphere interference,” a nod to allegations of Cuban and Nicaraguan bot farms.

Regional Reactions

Brazil’s foreign ministry issued a terse statement reminding Washington that “sovereignty is not a slogan.” Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, laughed off the plan at his morning presser: “If he wants to sell gas, let him sell gas. We’ll still buy where it’s cheapest.”

Yet in Florida, the politics land differently. Republican strategists see the doctrine as a 2024 map-maker, courting Venezuelan-American voters who flipped Miami-Dade red in 2020. Democratic Congressman Debbie Wasserman Schultz warned the rhetoric “could alienate partners just when we need them on migration and fentanyl.”

Can It Work?

Trade experts note that hemispheric trade already enjoys near-zero tariffs under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. “Slapping on new duties would violate USMCA within minutes,” says Monica de Bolle of the Peterson Institute. Meanwhile, energy analysts question whether U.S. LNG can outprice Venezuelan crude whose shipment costs are state-subsidized.

Still, Trump’s team insists the doctrine is less policy white paper and more psychological warfare. “It puts everyone on notice,” said Sen. Marco Rubio, touring a Doral café Wednesday morning. “Investors hate uncertainty, and now the uncertainty cuts against Beijing.”

History Repeats, Rewritten

Back at the Freedom Tower, a museum docent quietly replaced a Monroe exhibit with a temporary placard: “From Monroe to Donroe—200 Years of Hemisphere Politics.” Schoolchildren on field trips snapped photos, unaware they were witnessing history’s latest rebrand in real time.