Odd Lots

Greg Grandin on how the Monroe Doctrine Became the Donroe Doctrine

January 9, 2026

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  • The Monroe Doctrine, originally a cautious 1823 statement by James Monroe, has historically been reinterpreted by U.S. presidents (like Cleveland and Theodore Roosevelt) to assert increasing dominance and police power over the Western Hemisphere. 
  • The current Trump administration's foreign policy, sometimes dubbed the "Donroe Doctrine," reflects a historical pattern where the U.S. turns back to asserting dominance in Latin America when facing internal crises or a perceived decline in global preeminence. 
  • International law, while often subordinate to power relations, serves as a crucial 'moral venue' where weaker nations can argue against unilateral actions, as demonstrated by Latin American jurists developing counter-doctrines like the Drago Doctrine. 

Segments

Monroe Doctrine Origins and Subjectivity
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(00:01:32)
  • Key Takeaway: The American Revolution’s naming difference in the UK highlights how historical policies like the Monroe Doctrine are subjective depending on the observer’s perspective.
  • Summary: The discussion opens by noting the subjective nature of historical narratives, exemplified by the American Revolution being called the American War of Independence in the UK. This sets the stage for analyzing the Monroe Doctrine, a policy frequently reinterpreted over time, especially in light of recent events in Venezuela. The hosts link this to the need to understand historical patterns of U.S. dominance in the region.
Defining the Monroe Doctrine
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(00:03:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The original 1823 Monroe Doctrine was a cautious, multi-faceted statement written by John Quincy Adams, containing anti-colonial warnings alongside vague assertions of shared Western Hemisphere interests.
  • Summary: The Monroe Doctrine of 1823 was not a formal law but a few paragraphs in a State of the Union address, written by John Quincy Adams. It simultaneously warned European powers against reconquest while recognizing the independence of new Spanish American republics. Latin Americans initially favored the anti-colonial aspect, reading it as support for their sovereignty against European powers.
Doctrine Evolution and Power
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(00:12:15)
  • Key Takeaway: The Monroe Doctrine evolved from a vague statement into a powerful, enforceable concept primarily through political skirmishes and presidential expansions like Theodore Roosevelt’s ‘international police power’ corollary.
  • Summary: The doctrine’s status as enforceable ‘doctrine’ arose over decades, often during conflicts with European powers like Great Britain over Central American interests. Grover Cleveland dramatically expanded it to claim absolute U.S. sovereignty over the hemisphere. Theodore Roosevelt later added the 1904 corollary, justifying U.S. intervention to suppress ‘chronic wrongdoing,’ often provoked by U.S. private interests.
Intersection of Geography and Ideology
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(00:13:34)
  • Key Takeaway: U.S. foreign policy often cycles between global engagement and a retreat to the Western Hemisphere, with Latin America serving as the initial testing ground for projecting overseas power.
  • Summary: The U.S. exhibits a recurring pattern of turning back to Latin America to reassert influence following global crises or failed overseas endeavors, such as after the War on Terror. Latin America was central to the U.S. developing its identity as an overseas power, even through territorial expansion like taking Texas and Mexico. This geographical focus often intersects with ideological impulses, such as fighting communism or promoting democracy.
FDR’s Reversal and Sovereignty
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(00:19:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Franklin D. Roosevelt fundamentally reversed the doctrine in 1933 by renouncing the right of conquest and intervention, fostering goodwill that aided U.S. unity before World War II.
  • Summary: FDR renounced the U.S. right to intervene in 1933, a major concession demanded by Latin American jurists who had long opposed the U.S. doctrine of conquest. This move tilted the political playing field in Latin America toward the left, leading to goodwill and continental unity that benefited the U.S. strategy against fascism. Roosevelt tolerated economic nationalism, such as Mexico nationalizing U.S.-owned property, to secure regional alignment.
International Law as a Moral Venue
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(00:23:33)
  • Key Takeaway: International law, though often circumvented by powerful nations, functions as a necessary ‘moral venue’ that establishes norms for nations to argue over, even if power ultimately dictates enforcement.
  • Summary: International law is viewed less as an absolute system and more as a set of normative principles used in power struggles, where the most powerful country often sets the exceptions. Latin American legal theorists developed principles like the Drago Doctrine, which opposed using coercion to collect debt, influencing U.S. policy when it served U.S. interests in keeping European navies out of the Caribbean.
Trumpism’s Venezuela Strategy
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(00:28:22)
  • Key Takeaway: The Trump administration’s Venezuela policy is characterized by a lack of overarching ideology, focusing instead on theatrical demands for oil tribute and targeted, ‘one-and-done’ actions like arresting Maduro.
  • Summary: Unlike previous administrations that used regional focus to build durable governing ideologies (like FDR’s New Deal coalition), Trumpism appears morally empty, demanding tribute rather than promoting a worldview. The strategy seems to favor short, powerful actions, like the attempted arrest of Maduro, while avoiding the long-term nation-building associated with the Iraq War. This approach contrasts with traditional Monroe Doctrine interpretations, suggesting a desire to turn Venezuela into a vassal state through oil payments.
Precedents for Leader Removal
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(00:35:59)
  • Key Takeaway: The U.S. has precedents for unilaterally removing foreign leaders in Latin America, specifically citing the 1989 capture of Manuel Noriega and the forced exile of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2005.
  • Summary: The arrest of a foreign leader, while shocking, has historical precedents in the region, such as the 1989 U.S. military action to capture Manuel Noriega, who was a former CIA asset. George W. Bush also sent Marines to Haiti in 2005 to force President Jean-Petran Aristide into exile. However, the current approach of demanding oil tribute without a clear follow-through on political transition is considered unprecedented.