What’s the End Game?
Most of Americans thought President Donald Trump was an isolationist when he ran for President in 2016. It was one reason he got elected. Americans were tired of endless wars, including incursions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Who could forget the site of our troops leaving that country under President Biden’s orders, and Afghani’s trying to leave the country with the troops.
Last week I blogged about how Trump’s actions benefitted his family and hurt the U.S. In this blog I focus on actions that affect international relations.
Fast forward to Trump’s second term and the opposite of isolationist true. It almost seems like Trump wants America to control a handful of countries that he has issued threats or taken action against, including—Canada. Colombia, Cuba, Greenland, Iran, Mexico, and now Venezuela.
Venezuela
Venezuela is different because military action has led to the removal of President Maduro from his Presidency in Venezuela. No one really knows where this is going. It seems clear Trump wants to control the oil industry in Venezuela one way or another.
I don’t support Trump’s action in Venezuela because it seems to interfere in the actions of a sovereign nation. Also, there was no discussion in the U.S. about this move and Congress did not have an opportunity to weigh in.
In writing this blog, I sought to learn why Trump did what he did in Venezuela. Has he gone completely going off the rails? At first, I thought so, and still do. However, to be fair and inform my readers of both sides of the story I discuss below the genesis for his actions.
On December 31, 2025, it was reported that Venezuelan security forces had detained several Americans in the months since the Trump administration began a military and economic pressure campaign against the government of Venezuela. Some of the detainees face legitimate criminal charges, while the U.S. government was considering designating at least two prisoners as wrongfully detained. Those arrested included three Venezuelan-American passport holders and two American citizens with no known ties to the country.
President Maduro has done this before as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the U.S. President Trump has made the release of Americans held overseas a priority. He negotiated the release of 17 American citizens but suspended further talks, choosing instead to apply military and economic pressure against Maduro. The number of detained Americans began to rise in the fall, with the deployment of a U.S, naval armada in the Caribbean and the start of airstrikes against boats that Trump officials said transported drugs into the U.S.
The U.S. increased its economic pressure against Colombia in December. Targeting tankers carrying Venezuelan oil and stifling the country’s biggest source of exports. The action also threatened the oil supply to countries such as Cuba, China, and Russia.
There have been other interventionist actions and attempts to intimidate leaders of other countries. Here are just a few.
Canada. This has been the biggest loss for Trump. Trump demanded that Canada restrict its exports of critical materials—aluminum, steel, and rare minerals—to other nations unless American companies were given preferential access at below-market prices. Trump wanted Canada to subsidize American industry by selling its own resources at a loss. Canada rejected these attempts by Trump to establish his own “most favored nation” for the U.S. as a trading partner of Canada, a country that Trump wanted to become the 51st state in the U.S. Canada wasn’t going for it and stood up to the bully. Canada withdrew from voluntary coordination protocols between custom officials on both sides to keep the goods flowing without paperwork delays.
Colombia. The U.S. military has conducted airstrikes in the Caribbean and Pacific targeting vessels allegedly used by drug traffickers linked to groups like Colombia’s ELN, with some debris washing ashore in that country. These operations, part of “operation Southern Spear,” were framed as anti-drug efforts, leading the U.S. strikes on alleged narco-subs and vessels.
Greenland. Canada was feeling its oats and saw an opening in the attempt by the U.S. to buy Greenland and make it the 51st state. Trump treated it like a real estate deal, attempting to buy it as if it was a distressed hotel asset. Needless to say, Greenland wasn’t going for it. Canada saw an opening so it announced the opening of a new consulate in Nuuk, the capital city with a population of 20,000. Greenland rejoiced, stealing the diplomatic initiative without accompanying it with all the bluster of Trump.
Iran. We all remember Trump’s military action, along with Israel, to destroy Iran’s nuclear program. They warned the Iranian leaders they would face renewed military action if it attempted to rebuild, which is exactly what seems to be happening. Recent reports indicate that the country is pursuing chemical and biological warheads for its ballistic missiles. Trump has promised to knock down any effort to rebuild Iran’s nuclear program.
Nigeria. On Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, the U.S. conducted airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Nigeria. The action was carried out with the approval of the Nigerian Government, making it more supportable on an international level. The U.S. launched precision strikes using Tomahawk missiles from a Navy ship in the Gulf of Guinea, targeting two major ISIS enclaves in the Bauni forest of Sokoto State. Multiple terrorists were reportedly killed. Trump explained the strikes as being aimed at radical Islamic terrorists and a response to violence and killings targeting Christians in Nigeria.
I could go on but you get the picture. The overriding question is what gives Trump the “right” to engage in these incursions. One could say it is in tune with the “Monroe Doctrine.”
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is a U.S. foreign policy, established in 1823 by President James Monroe, that warned European powers against further colonization or interference in the Western Hemisphere, asserting the Americas were closed to new European colonies and any such attempt would be seen as a hostile act. In return, the U.S. pledged to stay out of European conflicts and internal affairs, creating separate spheres of influence and marking an early cornerstone of American foreign policy to establish U.S. dominance in its hemisphere.
Of course, these incursions haven’t happened against European powers. Trump has simply expanded the U.S. reach to the Caribbean and beyond.
President Trump’s actions cross the line between understandable intervention, which could be used to support the strikes against Isis and even Iran, and seeks to have a regime change. This is dangerous, as we should have learned by our efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. There needs to be a national dialogue on where these actions are taking us. What is the end game? I fear our leaders don’t know the answer to this question—and that’s scary!
Blog posted on January 6, 2026 by Steven Mintz, Ph.D. Steve is a Professor Emeritus from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Visit his website at: https://www. https://www.stevenmintzethics.com/.