The National Security Strategy of the second Trump administration, which was made available to the public in November 2025, is founded on two general principles. The first is the America First policy that has been parroted by Trump and has defined his current term since it has shaped most of his actions. The second centers on the assertion and enforcement of the so-called Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.
The Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine: A U.S. Foreign Policy Under the Second Trump Administration Focusing on the Western Hemisphere
In a direct echo of the original Monroe Doctrine, the Trump Corollary reasserts the Western Hemisphere as the core U.S. sphere. It emphasizes border integrity, counter-migration pressures, and reduced tolerance for external influence near American territory.
Background
Note that the Monroe Doctrine is a historic and foundational U.S. foreign policy principle related to the Western Hemisphere. Former U.S. President James Monroe first articulated it in his annual message to the U.S. Congress on 2 December 1823. Its core purpose was to establish and maintain two distinct spheres of influence: One for the Americas and one for Europe.
Fundamentally, the doctrine warned Europe to refrain from mediating or interfering with the affairs of the Americas, and in return, the U.S. government promised to stay out of European conflicts. It later evolved through further adoptions. The Roosevelt Corollary in 1904 asserted the U.S. right to intervene in Latin American affairs to prevent European intervention.
The current National Security Strategy of the second Trump administration revitalizes the Monroe Doctrine by making the Western Hemisphere an utmost regional priority and establishing a new policy called the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. It is labeled as a corollary because it is an addition to the older doctrine and expands it further in a new direction.
Core Tenets
Hence, the Trump Corollary is a modern reinterpretation aimed at countering current threats, rather than the 19th-century European empire. The policy declares that the U.S. must be preeminent in the Western Hemisphere for its own security and prosperity. The core tenets of the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, as articulated in the National Security Strategy, are:
• Blocking Non-Hemispheric Competitors: The U.S. will work to deny adversarial foreign powers the ability to own or control strategically vital assets in the Western Hemisphere. Examples of these assets include ports, energy infrastructure, military installations, and telecommunications networks.
• Controlling the Homeland Perimeter: The strategy links the security of the homeland to the stability of the hemisphere. It calls for enhanced U.S. military and law enforcement presence in the region to control migration and secure the border, thwart drug and human trafficking, and secure transit routes.
• Conditioning Alliances and Aid Provision: The National Security Strategy signals that government aid and cooperation will be contingent on the recipient countries working to wind down adversarial outside influence and promoting investment opportunities for United States companies.
Implications
The explicit mention of the Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine indicates that the second administration of Trump is placing the Western Hemisphere, which includes North America and South America, at the top-most list of its strategic regional priorities. Take note that the strategic document even placed the discussions about the region above all other regions.
Asia earns the second spot. The National Security Strategy identifies China as the central challenge and discusses strategic actions. These include shifting more resources to the Indo-Pacific, stronger pressure on Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, and a military posture centered on deterring China. Alliances in Asia also become transactional and interest-driven.
Note that Asia gets more attention than Europe. The second Trump administration recognizes the strategic and cultural significance of Europe and notes the need to put an end to the war in Ukraine under the leadership of the European Union. The Trump Corollary sees the Middle East as less relevant and Africa as important only if it can harness its natural resources.
Further Readings and References
- The White House. November 2025. National Security Strategy of the United States of America. President of the United States. Available via PDF
- Hamilton, R. 2017. The Monroe Doctrine: The Bird of American Foreign Policy. Rosen Publishing. ISBN: 9781508149590