Tangle Podcast: What is the "Donroe Doctrine"?

Host: Isaac Saul
Date: January 12, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the so-called "Donroe Doctrine," a term coined by President Donald Trump during his second term, outlining a revamped U.S. national security strategy focused on dominance in the Western Hemisphere. Host Isaac Saul, along with the Tangle editorial team, examines the historical context, recent U.S. actions in Latin America and Greenland, and reactions from both the right and left. The discussion further assesses the coherence and risks of the doctrine and its ramifications for U.S. foreign policy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction and Context ([01:29–04:47])

• Isaac Saul returns from holiday and outlines the episode’s main topic: the Donroe Doctrine and its place in national security strategy.
• Isaac reflects on the importance of reviewing Tangle’s previous year’s coverage and mentions their excellent self-evaluation.

2. News "Quick Hits" ([04:47–06:24])

• Investigation of Fed Chair Jerome Powell: A new criminal probe into his Congressional testimony, allegedly tied to Trump administration pressure.
• Iran Protests: Human rights groups report rising death tolls, Trump considers options (military, cyber, aid to protesters).
• US Jobs Report: 50,000 jobs added in December, below expectations.
• Syria Airstrikes: The U.S. military targets ISIS sites for the second time in a month.
• Alaska Senate Race: Former Rep. Mary Peltola announces a Senate run in 2026.

3. What is the Donroe Doctrine? ([06:24–09:41])

• Origins and Intent:
  Trump references the historic Monroe Doctrine, stating:

  “The Monroe Doctrine is a big deal, but we’ve superseded it by a lot, by a real lot. …Under our new national Security strategy, American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again.” (Trump, 06:24)

• Recent U.S. Actions:
  • After capturing Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, Trump’s administration threatens Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico with potential military action and renews the push for acquiring Greenland.
  • U.S. military has seized Venezuelan oil tankers, begun selling seized oil, and requested U.S. oil giants to invest in Venezuela’s oil sector.
  • Mixed corporate reaction: ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips CEOs find the investment climate too risky without major legal and commercial changes.
  • Trump threatens Colombia over drug exports, sparking diplomatic friction and an upcoming White House summit.
  • Renewed ambitions for Greenland, framed as a national security asset, lead to rebuke from Greenland and Denmark, and warnings about NATO’s survival from the Danish Prime Minister.

4. The Right's Response ([11:28–15:09])

• Support for Trump’s Assertiveness:

  • Some conservatives hail Trump’s approach as “a bold reassertion of US Influence,” especially seen in Venezuela.

    “The administration’s move to take Maduro now allows Trump to exert unanticipated leverage over both Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin” (J. Michael Waller, The American Mind, ~12:00)

  • Arguments that U.S. action in Venezuela could weaken China’s and Russia’s energy leverage and maintain the global role of the dollar.

• Skepticism and Warnings:

  • Concerns that abrupt hard power could backfire, leading to more anti-American governments or greater Chinese influence.

    “The United States abrupt turn from soft power to hard power may ultimately lead to the election of more vehemently anti American governments...” (Kenneth Rogoff, Free Press, ~13:40)

  • Some frame Trump’s posturing as high-stakes with uncertain global consequences.

    “If Mr. Trump fails, his successors will struggle to clean up the mess he leaves behind. If he succeeds, he will have built a new world.” (Walter Russell Mead, Wall Street Journal, ~14:45)

5. The Left's Response ([15:09–19:36])

• Alarms over Unilateralism and Lawlessness:

  • Critics stress that Trump’s Donroe Doctrine represents a shift from defensive to offensive, colonial-style control of Latin America.

    “The Monroe Doctrine’s defensive posture...has now been replaced by an offensive claim that the US must have complete control of its hemispheric neighborhood, regardless of state sovereignty...” (Ed Kilgore, New York Magazine, ~15:30)

  • The doctrine is said to violate international law and threats to allies could undermine U.S. standing.

• Economic Doubts and Oil Strategy:

  • Skepticism about rebooting Venezuela’s oil sector; risks cited for U.S. oil interests if prices fall.

    “Rebooting the country’s oil industry would...amass a private security force to protect these investments from cartels and militias.” (Roge Karma, The Atlantic, ~16:30)

  • Warnings that focus on resource extraction marks a return to colonialist foreign policy, shrinking U.S. global influence.

    “The postwar world was marked by systemic decolonization, yet the official policy of the US is now nakedly one of colonial resource extraction.” (Nicholas Creel, Newsweek, ~17:50)

6. Isaac Saul’s Take ([19:36–28:57])

• Broad Agreement with Some NSS Goals:

  • Isaac supports prioritization of the Western Hemisphere, deemphasizing the Middle East, and recognizing the need to counter China, Russia, Iran.
  • Applauds the “plain-spoken” nature of the new National Security Strategy:

    “It rightly de-emphasizes the Middle East for energy and national security...calls for a more diplomacy-forward, peace-through-strength approach.” (Isaac, 20:30)

• Sharp Critique of Contradictions:

  • Points out that the actions don’t align with the strategy’s language—military actions, threats, and attempting to coerce allies contradict “commercial diplomacy” and “non-imposition of values.”

    “These actions don’t make a lot of sense to me in light of the NSS, which I broadly supported when I first read it." (Isaac, 25:25)

  • Observes a lack of true doctrine:

    “Trump doesn’t really have a doctrine. His actions are governed by...personal relationships...his view that he is only restrained by his own mind and morality, and the competing interests of the cabinet-level people in his orbit.” (Isaac, 26:40)

  • Warns that the administration’s approach amounts to an America First version of familiar U.S. interventionism.

7. Staff Dissents ([28:57–30:18])

• Audrey Moorhead:
  Agrees on inconsistency in Western Hemisphere policy, but argues Trump’s return to a “spheres of influence” worldview means it’s logical to have different strategies (and levels of consistency) for different regions.

  “Under that view, I don’t think the US must act consistently in Europe and the Middle East.”

• Ari Weitzman:
  Sees Trump driven mainly by a view of international organizations as obstacles, preferring self-sufficient nations and U.S. dominance by force over those dependent on America—predicts more strong-arming allies and few direct moves against Russia/China.

  “He wants every country to aim to be entirely self-sufficient and he wants to exert U.S. control over those that aren’t, through whatever means necessary.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Trump on rebranding U.S. hemispheric policy:

  “They now call it the Donroe Doctrine. … Under our new national Security strategy, American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again.” (06:24)

• Isaac on the contradiction:

  “We are overthrowing presidents, threatening to bomb Colombia, promising to take Greenland, and openly emphasizing the importance of doing all this for oil and military advantages.” (25:40)

• Walter Russell Mead on Trump’s style:

  “This is world politics the way Mr. Trump likes it. … In the moment of maximum drama and uncertainty in which we live now, nobody knows what the outcome will be.” (14:20)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Intro and Show Overview: [01:29–04:47]
• Quick News Roundup: [04:47–06:24]
• Explaining the Donroe Doctrine & Recent U.S. Actions: [06:24–09:41]
• The Right’s Perspectives: [11:28–15:09]
• The Left’s Perspectives: [15:09–19:36]
• Isaac Saul’s Take: [19:36–28:57]
• Staff Dissents: [28:57–30:18]

Tone and Language

The tone is candid, analytical, and often skeptical—mirroring Isaac Saul’s hallmark of weighing arguments from both sides but not shying away from pointed criticism. The language is accessible, informed, and intentionally non-partisan.

Summary For Listeners

• The “Donroe Doctrine” refers to President Trump’s aggressive, America-dominant policy in the Western Hemisphere, reminiscent of but more interventionist than the Monroe Doctrine.
• While some on the right see this as a “muscular,” much-needed assertion of U.S. regional primacy, others worry it may destabilize South America and backfire geopolitically.
• The left warns that this turn toward “colonial” resource control violates international norms, could harm the U.S.’s global standing, and is unlikely to succeed economically or diplomatically.
• Isaac Saul recognizes merit in some policy priorities but sharply critiques the administration’s inconsistency and lack of coherent doctrine, concluding that Trump’s actions are more seat-of-the-pants than strategic.
• Staff dissents highlight the return to a “spheres of influence” mindset and a suspicion of international institutions as a defining element of Trump’s policy.

Related Reading

• Full text of the Tangle analysis and newsletter: https://www.readtangle.com/
• National Security Strategy (NSS) document (linked in episode description)