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Rising tensions in the Caribbean Sea and with Venezuela have led pundits and policymakers alike to ask questions about the coherence of the Trump Administration’s foreign policy. Many are confused, noting the seeming inconsistency of an America First rhetoric and the use of military force against an adversary. The declaration [ [link removed] ] of war on drug cartels, designation [ [link removed] ] of these groups as terrorist organizations, and military strikes [ [link removed] ] against them is the precise type of foreign policy that agitates Trump’s base of supporters. There has even been talk of regime change [ [link removed] ], the bete noire of the populist right.
Trump’s posture towards Venezuela has always prompted charges of inconsistency [ [link removed] ], incongruity [ [link removed] ], and incoherence [ [link removed] ], and critics now argue that his War on Terror approach [ [link removed] ] smacks of interventionism. Why Venezuela but not Ukraine? South America but not Europe? How is the never-ending War on Drugs different than the endless War on Terror? Are we just swapping one Forever War with another?
The fundamental disconnect between these views and the Administration’s actions is that “America First” is better understood as “American Interests First.” America First has never been about interventionism versus isolationism, engagement versus abandonment. It has instead been about retrenchment and selective intervention, pulling back from far-flung corners of the globe (where our interests are indirect, and possibly limited) to focus on our neighborhood and direct interests.
Fentanyl and illicit drugs have an enormous impact on Americans, so targeting drug cartels is consistent with an American Interests First agenda. It also means Europe should care more about Ukraine (American interests are indirect) and that America should care more about drugs and violence emanating from Venezuela (a direct threat to America).
Far from being contradictory or hypocritical, the administration’s approach to Venezuela fits neatly under an America First strategy. As Trump sees it, these kinetic actions [ [link removed] ] against drug cartels are defending American lives; illegal drugs, after all, have killed more Americans than Al Qaida ever did. It is easy to see how the drug boats off the coast of South America might be a greater threat to Americans than Russian tanks firing into Ukraine, Islamists in Syria [ [link removed] ], or Houthi rockets [ [link removed] ] in Yemen. Utilizing tools from the War or Terror (Designation of Foreign Terrorist Organizations [ [link removed] ], Authorization for Use of Military Force [ [link removed] ], and enhanced special operations and intelligence capabilities) and redirecting them from faraway deserts to nearby jungles doesn’t run counter to MAGA’s position for the past decade, it encapsulates it.
Trump’s retrenchment and refocus on our neighborhood may create power vacuums in other parts of the world, but at heart seems to be an underlying acceptance that America can’t do everything everywhere. The corollary to this thinking is that the United States appears willing to do anything here to keep the Western Hemisphere free of foreign influences—a 21st century version of the Monroe Doctrine. This strategy is hastening the bifurcation of the world [ [link removed] ] into two global ecosystems—one led by a China-Russia-Iran alliance and the other led by the United States and its Western allies.
It’s long been said that “actions speak louder than words” and in this regard it’s worth paying attention to America’s actions. They seem to be indicating a coherent strategy, even if it’s described incoherently.
VIKRAM MANSHARAMANI is an entrepreneur, consultant, scholar, neighbor, husband, father, volunteer, and professional generalist who thinks in multiple-dimensions and looks beyond the short-term. Self-taught to think around corners and connect original dots, he spends his time speaking with global leaders in business, government, academia, and journalism. He’s currently the Chairman and CEO of Goodwell Foods, a manufacturer of private label frozen pizza. LinkedIn has twice listed him as its #1 Top Voice in Money & Finance, and Worth profiled him as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Global Finance. Vikram earned a PhD From MIT, has taught at Yale and Harvard, and is the author of three books, The Making of a Generalist: An Independent Thinker Finds Unconventional Success in an Uncertain World [ [link removed] ], Think for Yourself: Restoring Common Sense in an Age of Experts and Artificial Intelligence [ [link removed] ] and Boombustology: Spotting Financial Bubbles Before They Burst [ [link removed] ]. Vikram lives in Lincoln, New Hampshire with his wife and two children, where they can usually be found hiking or skiing.

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