Donald Trump’s foreign policy doctrine for the United States prioritises relations with North and South America – the Western Hemisphere. This is clearly seen in Trump’s appointment of Pete Hegseth as his secretary of war, formerly defence. These moves willfully cut across international law to bolster US interests. The 21 attacks on small boats in the Caribbean since September, in which at least 50 people have died, are acts of international war without the legally necessary approval of Congress. Gunboat diplomacy on this scale, with this ethos, resurrects memories and charges of Yankee imperialism in Latin America.

Source: The Irish Times December 07, 2025 20:45 UTC