Trump "Operation against Colombia a good idea, Cuba will soon collapse"…Intensified Donlo-ism

US pressures 'leftist governments in Latin America' after successful ouster of Maduro

Shift from 'non-interventionism'

Increased surprise use of force in second term

NYT: "Explicit declaration of gunboat diplomacy"

Trump: "Greenland needed for security"

Could intervene militarily in Danish territory

After a surprise attack in Venezuela that ousted President Nicolás Maduro, U.S. President Donald Trump continued to make warning remarks targeting leftist governments in Latin America such as Colombia and Cuba. He even hinted at military intervention in Latin American countries, openly revealing ambitions to dominate the Western Hemisphere—what has been labeled 'Donlo-ism' (Donald Trump + Monroe Doctrine).

◇Possibility of additional military intervention in Latin America suggested

On the 4th (local time), aboard his plane returning to Washington, D.C., President Trump responded "seems like a good idea" when asked whether "the United States would actually pursue a military operation against Colombia." This was interpreted as not ruling out the possibility of airstrikes on Colombia. President Trump said, "Colombia is a very sick country," and accused its leader, "a disgusting man who likes to make cocaine and sell it to the United States (Gustavo Petro, the president of Colombia)," adding that "he won't be able to do that for long."

Regarding Cuba, he said that since funds that Venezuela had been supporting would be cut off, it could collapse on its own. President Trump said, "Eventually it will be a subject we discuss," and called "Cuba a failed state." He also urged Mexico to crack down on drug trafficking. "Drugs are pouring through Mexico and we have to do something," he said. While he praised Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico, he said she was constrained by cartels within Mexico. On Venezuela, he emphasized that the U.S. is the responsible authority and warned, "If they don't behave, we will carry out a second strike."

◇Unrestrained Donlo-ism

In his January inauguration speech last year, President Trump promised to minimize foreign intervention, saying he would be a "peacemaker" and a "unifier." However, the operation to arrest Maduro confirmed that the U.S. can boldly undertake military intervention if it aligns with national interests. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) assessed, "President Trump has relied on surprise use of force in his second term," and "this is emerging as a new doctrine of striking first and then applying pressure."

The countries Trump named as possible next targets are all led by leftist governments in Latin America that condemned the U.S. military operation against Venezuela. The New York Times (NYT) noted, "President Trump's remarks constitute an explicit declaration of 'gunboat diplomacy,'" and pointed out that "it means he is openly embracing a 19th-century style of U.S. imperialism in the Western Hemisphere that has long been criticized across Latin America."

If this U.S. foreign policy line continues, Danish Greenland could also become a target of U.S. military intervention. In an interview with The Atlantic that day, President Trump said, "We need Greenland for national security," and claimed, "Greenland is surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships." Denmark rejected the idea as a violation of sovereignty, but foreign media suggested that, because President Trump carried out the operation to arrest Maduro, Greenland and Denmark will feel even greater unease. The Atlantic reported, "President Trump has reconfirmed that Venezuela may not be the last target of U.S. intervention."

However, the shift in the Trump administration's policy could provoke backlash from MAGA, the core constituency that prioritizes 'non-interventionism.' Although key MAGA figures currently appear supportive of the operation to oust Maduro, deploying military force to Colombia and Cuba could split his base. Reuters reported, "Experts say that prolonged involvement in Venezuela would test President Trump's influence over the Republican Party and MAGA."

▶Donlo-ism

A coined term that combines 'Donald Trump' with the 19th-century U.S. foreign policy 'Monroe Doctrine.' If the Monroe Doctrine opposed European powers' intervention in Latin America, Donlo-ism centers on rejecting Chinese and Russian approaches to the Western Hemisphere.

Hankyung reporter hankyung@hankyung.com