Donald Trump’s second presidency has come with a surprising, but much-needed twist: making the Western Hemisphere a top foreign policy priority, once again. For decades, U.S. leaders have shied away from asserting dominance in the hemisphere, forgetting the very foundation of American foreign policy — the 1823 Monroe Doctrine. In 1895, Secretary of State Richard Olney fortified this doctrine, stating: “Today the United States is practically sovereign in this continent, and its fiat is law upon the subjects to which it confines its interposition.”  For over a century, this strategic thinking guided U.S. foreign policy in the hemisphere — until Washington retreated, allowing adversaries to exploit the vacuum. After the Cold War, the Monroe Doctrine was dismissed as outdated. Some have even argued to “Let the Monroe Doctrine Die.” But abandoning regional leadership came at a cost. Rivals like China, Russia, and Iran have made inroads, filling the vacuum. The U.S., once undisputed in its own neighborhood, became weak and hesitant. Never before had American influence in Latin America been so feeble. (READ MORE: China Poses a Severe Threat in Panama and Leaves the US With No Choice.) It was, in fact, Trump’s first term that brought signs of the Monroe Doctrine’s revival. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton emphatically declared that the Monroe Doctrine was “alive and well.” Under Biden, though, passivity returned. Now, with Trump back, the stage is set for a bolder reassertion of U.S. hemispheric leadership in the region not seen since the Cold War. The appointments of Marco Rubio as secretary of state, a Cuban-American with vast policy experience in the region, and Christopher Landau as deputy secretary of state, a former ambassador to Mexico, signals an administration that understands the stakes. The re-prioritization of the hemisphere has already been dubbed the “Donroe Doctrine.” (READ MORE: Rejuvenating the Monroe Doctrine) Media discussions have focused on renaming the Gulf of Mexico, retaking the Panama Canal, or buying Greenland. Yet, despite these talks, one of the real tests of U.S. commitment to hemispheric leadership is going to be removing Venezuela’s dictator, Nicolás Maduro. (RELATED: Trump’s Inaugural Promises: Utilizing the 1798 Alien Enemies Act and Other Precedents to Control and Expand America’s Borders) The moral motivations for removing the brutal dictator responsible for the worst humanitarian catastrophe outside of war are undeniable. But beyond the humanitarian imperative, there are crucial strategic reasons tied to U.S. national security and Trump’s commitment to revitalizing American hegemony in the hemisphere. Under Maduro, Venezuela has become the hemisphere’s biggest geopolitical crisis. It is a safe haven for Russian and Iranian military operatives, a hub for terrorist groups like Hezbollah, and a launchpad for regional destabilization in other U.S. allies throughout South and Central America. Secretary Rubio added in his confirmation hearing that Iran is building drone factories in Venezuela — i.e., right under the U.S.’s nose. The crisis has now even arrived at the U.S. doorstep. Over eight million Venezuelans — 25 percent of the population — have fled since 2013. While half a million Venezuelans have sought refuge in the U.S. to escape the humanitarian catastrophe, some criminal groups have also taken advantage of the migration wave, bringing crime and instability to the U.S. The Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang has exploited this migration wave, sowing fear in American communities. Meanwhile, China continues to sustain Maduro’s regime, positioning itself as Venezuela’s largest creditor and a key force in its oil sector. By undermining U.S. sanctions — initially imposed under Trump but later loosened by Biden — Beijing facilitates Maduro’s survival while deepening its economic grip on the region. Where Washington once dictated Venezuela’s economic trajectory, today, China holds the reins. This shifting balance of power demands urgent attention in Washington. If the Trump administration is serious about restoring the Monroe Doctrine, toppling Maduro isn’t just an option — it’s a necessity. And, at this point, only the Trump administration can force a democratic change in Venezuela.  Domestically, the Venezuelan opposition has exhausted every political avenue. They have protested, won elections, and even formed parallel governments. Yet Maduro remains. But history shows that forceful U.S. action makes a difference. In 2019, a U.S.-coordinated opposition uprising nearly succeeded in unseating Maduro. “A plane was waiting on the tarmac to escort Maduro to Cuba,” one official revealed. But hesitation from a risk-averse CIA undercut the effort. Bolton later lamented the lack of a CIA “more capable of carrying out clandestine operations in support of American policy,” such as removing a rival of America, especially right in its hemisphere. The current Trump administration must learn from that failure. If the U.S. is truly committed to reasserting regional dominance, removing Maduro must be a guaranteed outcome. Consider the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama, which ousted the recalcitrant autocrat Manuel Noriega, with over 92 percent of Panamanians supporting the operation. Since 2019, about 85 percent of Venezuelans have supported a U.S.-led foreign operation to oust Maduro. At present, following the Venezuelan opposition’s 2024 election victory, expectations for decisive U.S. action in the hemisphere are even higher. During my last visit to Venezuela in December 2024, most Venezuelans expressed to me their belief that Trump’s “unpredictability,” along with his Western-Hemisphere-centric foreign policy, offers the best hope for ending Maduro’s brutal dictatorship and making Venezuela, again, a democratic U.S. ally in the Western Hemisphere. They have a point! Whether through overt or covert means, Venezuelans themselves see decisive action from the Trump administration as their last real chance for change. As an academic and Venezuelan, I recognize the weight of these words. But the case could not be clearer. A U.S. foreign policy that is serious about reviving the Monroe Doctrine cannot ignore the current threat of Venezuela’s Maduro. Restoring U.S. regional order and authority requires removing the hemisphere’s most destabilizing force. If the Trump administration fails to act, it will squander a historic opportunity to reclaim America’s diminishing influence in an increasingly unstable and fragile Western Hemisphere. It was U.S. intervention during the 1896 Venezuela crisis against British encroachment in the hemisphere that America credibly reaffirmed the Monroe Doctrine and its hemispheric leadership. Hopefully, it will be in Venezuela once again where the Monroe Doctrine will be reclaimed against adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran that uphold the biggest geopolitical threat in the Americas: Venezuela’s Maduro. The stakes are clear. The only question is whether the Trump administration has the resolve to truly do what it takes to bring back the Monroe Doctrine. READ MORE: China Poses a Severe Threat in Panama and Leaves the US With No Choice. The Panama Canal and the Firing Line Debate Rejuvenating the Monroe Doctrine The post Nicolás Maduro: Trump Must Oust the Illegitimate Venezuelan Dictator and Revive the Monroe Doctrine appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.