Trump Revives "America First" Monroe Doctrine, Reversing Obama-Era Shift

President Donald Trump has officially revived the Monroe Doctrine as a cornerstone of U.S. policy toward Latin America. This reverses a major shift made under the previous administration. In 2013, then-Secretary of State John Kerry declared the nearly 200-year-old policy "dead." The Obama administration favored a partnership of equals in the hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine is a U.S. foreign policy principle from 1823. It opposed European colonialism in the Americas, asserting U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere. Its renewal signals a return to a more unilateral and protective U.S. stance. The Trump administration frames this as putting "America First" in regional affairs. Analysts expect this move to reshape diplomatic and economic relations with Latin American nations. The doctrine's revival emphasizes strategic competition over regional cooperation.