United States (US) President Donald Trump invoked the Monroe Doctrine to justify the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, following a military operation in Venezuela.
“We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump had declared at the press conference after the operation that included air strikes on the country’s capital Caracas.
He described the operation as being in line with the Monroe Doctrine, a policy that has guided American engagement in the Western Hemisphere for about 200 years.
“The Monroe Doctrine is a big deal. But we've superseded it by a lot. By a real lot. They now call it the Donroe Doctrine,” he said.
What is ‘Monroe Doctrine’?
The Monroe Doctrine was announced by the 5th US President, James Monroe, in his annual address to Congress on December 2, 1823.
During that time, many Latin American nations were gaining independence from European colonial powers. As a young republic, the US feared that European powers could seek to re-establish their influence and control in the Western Hemisphere. The three core principles of the doctrine include:
No further European colonisation in America
Non-interference by European powers in the affairs of independent American states
Reciprocal non-intervention, meaning the US would also stay out of European conflicts
While originally made as a defensive policy to counter European interference, the doctrine effectively asserted the Western Hemisphere as a US sphere of influence. It evolved from a diplomatic warning into a justification for US interventions across Latin America over time, often to protect oil, economic and strategic interests in the region.
The 2026 revival of the doctrine dubbed as the “Donroe Doctrine” by Trump recasts it as a tool for direct action against those who are hostile to their interests.
Trump mentioned, “All of these actions were in gross violation of the core principles of American foreign policy, dating back more than two centuries.”
Timeline of invocation of the doctrine:
1860s (Mexico): US pressured France to withdraw troops supporting Emperor Maximilian, using the doctrine to prevent a monarchy in Mexico.
1904 (Dominican Republic): President Theodore Roosevelt used to justify intervention in the Dominican Republic.
1911 (Nicaragua) & 1915 (Haiti): Used to justify further expansions to assert control over Central American stability as part of the ‘Big Stick’ and ‘Dollar Diplomacy'.
1962 (Cuban Missile Crisis): US President John F. Kennedy cited it to demand Soviet missile removal from Cuba, framing it as a defence against foreign interference.
1980s (Nicaragua/El Salvador): US President Ronald Reagan used it to counter Soviet-backed leftist movements.
1989 (Panama): President George Bush used it to justify the invasion to oust General Manuel Noriega.
2020 (Venezuela): President Donald Trump referenced it to justify actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the operation sets a “dangerous precedent,” and called for restraint and adherence to international law.
 "What is Monroe Doctrine, invoked by Trump to justify Venezuela attack")
