[Seoul = Newsis] Reporter Kim Seung-min = The 'Make America Great Again (MAGA)' camp is splitting as the Donald Trump administration, which took power under the slogan of a return to isolationism, invaded Venezuela in a surprise move and pushed for a de facto regime change.
The New York Times (NYT) pointed out on the 3rd (local time) that "Trump has pledged to avoid military intervention while running for president three times, but early Saturday, the U.S. military sent the Venezuelan leader and his wife to New York and announced that it would rule the country virtually indefinitely with hard-liners at the forefront."
"This is a dramatic break from the way the Maga coalition imagined more than a decade ago, which was enthusiastic about isolationism and America-first lines," he said. "Trump is not sure how much he will accept this expansionism."
President Trump, a former real estate tycoon and a non-mainstream Republican, won the Republican primary and presidential election in 2016 with the U.S. priority of focusing on the domestic economy by reducing involvement in overseas disputes and support for allies.
The claim that the United States, which had maintained isolationism since the independence revolution, has endured unnecessary sacrifices by taking the lead in disputes in each country starting from World War I and II has gained sympathy from the majority of voters.
In 1823, the expression Donro (Donald + Monroe) Doctrine came out in the sense that then-President James Monroe succeeded the Monroe Doctrine, which declared mutual non-interference between Europe and the Americas.
However, it is pointed out that the Trump administration's identity is fundamentally shaken as it has made it clear that it will deploy troops to foreign territories to arrest incumbent Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and even determine the establishment of the next regime.
The Monroe Doctrine also mentions U.S. influence on the Americas, but the purpose of the declaration at the time was to check the penetration of European powers into South America, while the Trump administration recognizes the entire continent as a de facto extension of U.S. territory.
"Trump's rule was fueled by promises to end the 'endless war' and limit U.S. intervention in other countries, but the past few days have come as a bitter return to past interventionism, which has resulted in far more chaotic results than expected, from Panama to Afghanistan to Iraq," the NYT noted.
"The Venezuelan airstrike and Maduro's capture are significant victories for diplomatic hawks such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth," Politico said. "The past year has been marked by far more foreign intervention than the first Trump."
"Trump supporters generally welcome measures aimed at drug cartels, but the risk of the U.S. getting caught up in a long-term dispute is a completely different matter," The Times said in an article under Where Did America First Go.
While his supporters show a clear isolationist tendency, President Trump is more of an "unilitarist," he added. "He sees the Americas as a space where the U.S. can act if it wants."
President Trump defines the U.S. foreign strategy as a 'hemispheric defense' linking the Arctic, Greenland, the mainland, the Pacific Ocean, and South America.
In the end, it is analyzed that the Trump administration's foreign policy is more of an "America First" to directly operate the Americas and minimize involvement in Europe and Asia, rather than a pure isolationist "America First."
Based on this point of view, it may be argued that the U.S. military may directly address the "regional problem" if the Western Hemisphere country adjacent to the U.S. damages the U.S. due to drug trafficking and illegal immigrants.
President Trump's repeated reference to Maduro as the head of an "overseas terrorist organization" and his emphasis on the "execution of arrest warrants" on the same day are also interpreted as an extension of his claim that it is an "internal security measure" rather than an external military intervention.
Meanwhile, the position of the core supporters of the Maga camp is not yet clear.
"Trump aides describe this as an extension of the Monroe Doctrine, but many enthusiastic supporters feel uncomfortable with the notion that the Western Hemisphere should be under U.S. control," the NYT said. "The game has begun."
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (Republican, Georgia), who recently announced her retirement from politics after publicly splitting from President Trump, said, "Many people in the Maga camp voted to end this situation."
However, if the situation is settled early and the Trump administration proves that the U.S. national interest is secured, there is a possibility that Ma will not leave and maintain support.
Steve Bannon, the chief strategist of the first Trump administration, who is classified as a fundamentalist, praised the operation, saying, "It was a bold and excellent raid."
"Voters are tired of wars involving national reconstruction, refugee outbreaks, and trillions of dollars of spending, but they are short, decisive, and less resistant to retribution," The Times said. "This is especially true for operations targeting drug trafficking organizations rather than foreign troops."
Reporter Kim Seung Min (ksm@newsis.com )
A political force that once insisted on minimizing foreign intervention has now moved to arrest a foreign dictator and even spoken of direct governance interference.
The roots of corruption run deep, and it will likely take a very long time to eradicate them—so doubts remain as to whether this can truly be achieved.
In the future, Venezuela may continue to hinder Trump’s presidency.
