Post Reports: "What's behind Trump's moves in Latin America?"

Date: November 13, 2025
Host: Cole Bjorkowitz
Guests: Karen DeYoung (Senior National Security Correspondent), Samantha Schmidt (Mexico City Bureau Chief)

Episode Overview

This episode examines the Trump administration’s increasingly assertive policies in Latin America, focusing on Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina. Through detailed reporting and analysis with correspondents Karen DeYoung and Samantha Schmidt, the conversation covers military escalations, shifting alliances, and the administration’s underlying aims, revealing a broader strategy to reshape the region’s political landscape in America’s image.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalating Tensions and Military Action in Venezuela

• US Military Strikes: The Trump administration has conducted strikes on boats off the Venezuelan coast, resulting in dozens of deaths. (01:19)
  • "[The administration] started striking these drug boats...in international waters, killing, they say, everyone aboard. Haven’t presented much evidence of what they were doing, what they were carrying, who they were..." - Karen DeYoung (02:32)
• Policy Fluctuations: Trump has alternated between negotiation and hardline tactics, oscillating on military escalation and invasion threats. (01:48 – 07:02)
• Accusations Against Maduro:
  • Trump labels Maduro an illegitimate president and major drug trafficker, though many refugees from Venezuela are mainly economic migrants.
  • Focus on fentanyl is misleading since "fentanyl doesn’t come from South America, doesn’t come from Venezuela." - Karen DeYoung (02:14)
• Congressional Limits: Bipartisan congressional resistance nearly results in a resolution to restrain Trump’s actions, citing violations of the War Powers Act and international law. (07:02 – 07:40)
  • "Drug smuggling, as bad as it is, is not a capital crime in the United States, and you are executing people." - Karen DeYoung (07:40)
• International Law & Repercussions: The U.S. faces international outrage, but little direct consequence due to its selective engagement with international legal bodies. (08:12 – 09:05)

Key Quote

"International law is kind of a guidebook that the world has agreed...but there’s nothing really to force you to adhere to it."
— Karen DeYoung, (08:57)

2. Strained Alliances with Colombia

• Shift in Relations: Historically strong US-Colombia ties are weakened due to Petro’s critical stance on the US war on drugs.
  • "Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro...has been highly critical over the years and over recent months of Trump in particular, and his actions." - Samantha Schmidt (09:24)
• Petro’s Pushback: Petro vocally criticizes US strikes, labeling them "murder". His rhetoric escalates after being sanctioned and threatened with aid cutoffs. (09:24 – 10:30)
  • "Even his visa was taken away after he was in New York for the UN General Assembly...calling on the military in the US to not listen to orders." - Samantha Schmidt (10:02)
• Political Objectives: Administration appears to be influencing Colombian internal politics ahead of their elections, aiming to weaken leftist governments.
  • "At this point, they’re just trying to influence the direction of those elections." - Karen DeYoung (11:37)

Key Quote

"Trump threatened to cut off all aid to Colombia, which he has not done yet. But that would be a massive shift for what is the U.S.'s most important ally in South America."
— Samantha Schmidt (10:30)

3. Embrace of Argentina’s Right-Wing President

• Milei’s Alignment with Trump: President Milei’s economic agenda and anti-government messaging closely mirror Trump’s ideology.
  • "Argentina is important to Trump because of its president, Javier Milei, who is ideologically very aligned with Trump. He came in with this image of the chainsaw that he wanted to cut government spending." - Samantha Schmidt (13:16)
• Conditional Bailout: US economic assistance is explicitly tied to Milei’s electoral success, signaling interventionist tactics to bolster right-wing allies.
  • "Trump then moved in with a bailout...$20 billion to stabilize their currency if he wins these legislative elections...Milei’s party...winning the legislative election. So now they get their money." - Karen DeYoung (14:17)

4. Historical Context of US Policy

• Monroe Doctrine to Present: US has long viewed Western Hemisphere as its sphere, with interventions tied to economic and political interests.
  • "This is the Western hemisphere, it belongs to us. And gradually that became a reality… But it was always kind of a one way street." - Karen DeYoung (18:48)
• Continuities in Approach: Trump’s strategy is seen as an updated version of historic interventions—rewarding compliant countries, isolating adversaries, and reasserting US dominance.
  • "Trump has a bit of a different idea...Cooperation means adopting the social policies, the political policies, and the military policies of the United States." - Karen DeYoung (19:48)
• Comparisons with Previous Administrations: Biden’s preference for regional multilateralism contrasted with Trump’s unilateralism and maximal pressure; efforts to support democratic outcomes ultimately failed to gain traction. (20:59 – 22:15)
  • "The Biden administration...tried to focus on supporting elections...they basically made a deal with Maduro and said, we will lift sanctions to support freer and fairer elections." - Samantha Schmidt (21:39)

5. Domestic US Politics & Migrant Narratives

• Migration Rhetoric: Trump frames aggressive Latin America policy as defending US security—against drugs and migrants.
  • "His first response is inevitably about migration. They sent these criminals here, and also they are trafficking these drugs and killing Americans." - Karen DeYoung (23:21)
• Contradictory Messaging: Simultaneous calls for democracy abroad clash with demonization and criminalization of Latin American migrants at home.
  • "You have Trump saying, all the Venezuelans who are here are criminals and we are going to arrest them all and we’re going to send them all back." - Karen DeYoung (22:15)

6. Propping Up Authoritarian/Far-Right Leaders

• Selective Engagement: Pattern of supporting ideological allies across the region (e.g., Milei in Argentina, Bukele in El Salvador, new Ecuadorian and Bolivian leaders) while undermining left-leaning governments.
  • "That’s why he’s befriended President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador...he has gotten many benefits from the Trump administration in recent months." - Samantha Schmidt (24:04)
• Parallel to Other US Authoritarian Friendships: The comparison to Trump’s relationship with Viktor Orban of Hungary highlights an international trend.
  • "This is the kind of Latin American equivalent of that: Milei in Argentina, Bukele in El Salvador." - Karen DeYoung (25:10)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On US Strike Policy:

  "Trump has sent dozens of warships and aircraft there, opened a base that had been closed for a long time in Puerto Rico. And they've started striking these drug boats...killing, they say, everyone aboard."
  — Karen DeYoung (02:14)

• On Congressional Pushback:

  "Drug smuggling...is not a capital crime in the United States, and you are executing people. So they’re saying it’s a violation both of domestic law and of international law."
  — Karen DeYoung (07:40)

• On US Policy Continuity:

  "It’s part of this continuum of history where, no question, I mean, the United States is the big player."
  — Karen DeYoung (19:48)

• On the Real Motives:

  "The through line between Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina really seems like it is...the propping up of far right regimes."
  — Cole Bjorkowitz (24:04)

Memorable Moments

• Petro’s Visa Revocation (10:02):
  Samantha Schmidt reveals that Colombia’s president was stripped of his US visa after making provocative statements in New York, signaling the depth of diplomatic rifts.

• Conditional Bailout in Argentina (14:17):
  The US’s $20 billion bailout is openly made contingent on the success of its ideological ally, Milei—an unusually explicit case of political intervention.

• Comparisons to Orban & Authoritarians (25:10):
  The administration’s new alliances and support of right-wing leaders are equated to Trump’s affinity for European strongmen.

Timeline of Major Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------| | 01:19 | US military moves & policy in Venezuela | | 03:50 | Why Venezuela is central to Trump's policy | | 07:02 | How close to war? Congressional response | | 09:06 | Shift in US-Colombia relations | | 13:16 | US support for Argentina's Milei | | 18:42 | History of US-Latin American interventions | | 22:15 | Migration and the internal US politics angle | | 24:04 | Propping up far right & authoritarian leaders |

Conclusion

The Trump administration's actions in Latin America reflect an aggressive, ideologically motivated interventionism reminiscent of earlier eras, but increasingly shaped by contemporary domestic politics. As US warships circle Venezuela and aid becomes a lever for right-wing allies, the White House seems less interested in democracy and more in creating a hemisphere of compliant partners. The conversation closes with a warning: despite global outrage or historical baggage, American power in Latin America may once again be defined by force and favoritism.

Guests:

• Karen DeYoung — “International law is kind of a guidebook...there’s nothing really to force you to adhere to it.” (08:57)
• Samantha Schmidt — “Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro...has been highly critical...and his actions.” (09:24)

Host:

• Cole Bjorkowitz — “The through line...really seems like it is...the propping up of far right regimes.” (24:04)

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