Hear the reasoning behind Trump's resurrection of the Monroe Doctrine in 2025.

President Trump invoked the Monroe Doctrine in 2025, announcing a new 'Trump Corollary'

On Dec. 2, 2025, the 202nd anniversary of the doctrine, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation reaffirming US "dominance" in the Western Hemisphere. His administration's national security strategy officially codified the "Trump Corollary," stating that the US would prevent non-hemispheric powers from gaining strategic influence in the Americas.

The Monroe Doctrine helped lead to the American occupation of territory abroad

This podcast explores how the policy motivated a century of US military intervention throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific—covering the annexation of Hawaii, the Spanish-American War, and occupations of Cuba, Haiti, and Panama.

Hear about why Europe obeyed the Monroe Doctrine, despite American military weakness

This podcast explores the European background of the Monroe Doctrine, highlighting France's efforts to install aristocratic Bourbon monarchs in the newly independent Latin American republics—and how US opposition, British threats, and Spanish resistance ultimately disrupted those plans.

Learn about the history of the Monroe Doctrine

CBS Sunday Morning explores the origins of the Monroe Doctrine, tracing how a 19th-century warning against European intervention shaped US foreign policy and influenced America’s role in the Western Hemisphere for generations.

The Monroe Doctrine was designed to keep Europe out of the Americas

First articulated in 1823 by President James Monroe, the doctrine declared the Western Hemisphere off limits to European colonization. It has since been invoked to justify US military interventions in Latin America, from Teddy Roosevelt's takeover of Venezuela to George H.W. Bush's arrest of Panama's leader Manuel Noriega.

Read an excerpt from the Monroe Doctrine, introduced in Monroe's 1823 address to Congress

On Dec. 2, 1823, President Monroe delivered his seventh annual message to Congress, now known as the State of the Union. One segment—warning European powers against interfering in the Western Hemisphere—became known as the Monroe Doctrine.

James Monroe first outlined what became known as the 'Monroe Doctrine' during his 1823 Annual Message to Congress

President Monroe used his Annual Message to Congress to warn European powers against further colonization in the Western Hemisphere, asserting US opposition to foreign intervention and laying the foundation for a cornerstone of American foreign policy that remains to this day.

A wave of Latin American independence movements most likely prompted the Monroe Doctrine

Between 1810 and 1822, many Latin American colonies separated from Spanish rule, 10 in the last two years. Concerns that Spain and its European allies might try to regain these republics were a main reason behind Monroe's declaration.

The Monroe Doctrine promoted 4 core principles

Monroe outlined four positions: the US would not interfere in European conflicts; it would not disturb existing European colonies in the Americas; the Western Hemisphere was closed to new colonization; and any European attempt to control an independent American republic would be regarded as a threat to US security.

The Roosevelt Corollary transformed the Monroe Doctrine from a defensive warning into a rationale for US military intervention

In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt declared that the US had the right to exercise international police power in Latin America. Over the following two decades, the US intervened militarily in the region about a dozen times—often enough that Marines became known locally as "State Department troops."

The intellectual architect of the Monroe Doctrine was Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, not Monroe

Adams, the main foreign relations authority in the Cabinet, shaped the key parts of the Monroe Doctrine speech. He advocated for a unilateral American declaration to warn European powers, rejecting a potential joint statement with Britain favored by some Cabinet members.

FDR's Good Neighbor policy reversed the interventionism that had grown from the Monroe Doctrine

Franklin Roosevelt pledged in his 1933 inaugural address to be a "good neighbor" to Latin America and to oppose armed intervention by American forces. His administration withdrew troops from previous occupations and signed a multilateral agreement stating that no state has the right to interfere in another's affairs.

Marbury v. Madison also has implications for presidential power and transitions

This podcast episode explores how Marbury v. Madison extends beyond judicial review, examining its implications for presidential authority, administrative control, and the tensions that arise during transitions of power between outgoing and incoming administrations.

The British Royal Navy—not the US military—enforced the Monroe Doctrine for most of the 19th century

In the early to mid-1800s, the US lacked the ships and military power to prevent European nations from colonizing the Americas. Britain enforced this to protect its commercial interests by keeping rival European powers out of Latin America.

Trump's 2025 asylum suspension departed from a policy framework in place since 1980

In January 2025, President Trump issued an executive order suspending the asylum program and halting application processing at the southern border. This represents a departure from recent American asylum policy traditions and international humanitarian commitments.

European powers largely dismissed Monroe's declaration initially

The reaction in Europe ranged from quiet acceptance in Britain to outrage from Austria's Prince Metternich, who privately called it a "new act of revolt." At home, US newspapers reported a "warm and universal burst of applause," and Congress responded positively to the address.

Manifest destiny fueled US aggression against Mexico

The belief that the United States had a divine right to expand westward—known as manifest destiny—justified President Polk’s push for territorial conquest. It shaped public support for the Mexican-American War and framed the invasion as national destiny.

Trump's 2025 tariffs represent a significant break from the rules-based trade order

The Trump administration imposed broad tariffs on other countries outside WTO rules in 2025, claiming that those countries had long violated trade agreements and that the US was simply leveling the playing field.

1440 traces how the presidency transformed from the limited office envisioned by the Founders into today's powerful institution.

The formation of the UN elevated the US on the world stage

This podcast episode of "To the Best of My Ability" from the National WWII Museum goes behind the scenes of the United Nations' founding from the American perspective. It explores how FDR's vision for global peace took shape, how Truman carried it forward, and how Eleanor Roosevelt helped define human rights—set against the backdrop of wartime diplomacy, Cold War tensions, and the San Francisco Conference, where the UN Charter was signed.

On the role of 'Citizenship In A Republic'

After finishing a Smithsonian-sponsored expedition to East Africa, US President Theodore Roosevelt stopped by Paris and gave a speech about the responsibilities an ordinary citizen has to their republic. Citizens must know there is no effort without error, knowing they "fail while daring greatly" in pursuit of a truly democratic republic. This podcast series on powerful speeches across history is written and narrated by historian and author Jon Meacham.

The Truman Doctrine marked the start of US containment strategy

Introduced in 1947, the Truman Doctrine pledged US support for nations resisting communism—starting with Greece and Turkey—and launched the containment policy that defined early Cold War strategy.

A podcast about Honduras' narco-Presidente

The former President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was once a US ally in the war on drugs, but he now stands accused of overseeing a narco-state. Hernandez served as Honduran president for eight years, once considered one of the United...

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2025 to restrict birthright citizenship

In 2025, President Trump signed an order attempting to end automatic citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants or temporary visa holders—limiting it to those with a US citizen or permanent resident parent.

Behind the scenes on tariff politics

Economist Gene Grossman joined the Trade Talks Podcast to discuss why tariffs really happen. The episode digs into how voters, politicians, lobbyists, and even campaign cash can affect when protectionist trade policies are put forward. Produced in 2019, the podcast also discusses how populist trade policies and identity politics accounted for Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 Presidential election.

Hear about James Madison's presidency with The Washington Post's 'Presidential' podcast

As president, Madison governed during periods of constitutional uncertainty, foreign policy crises, and the War of 1812, making him the first American president to serve during a declared war. This podcast analyzes how his constitutional ideas translated into effective presidential leadership.

Hear an oral history of the Electoral College and why it still exists

This podcast episode traces how the Electoral College emerged from rushed compromises, slavery-era power politics, and party maneuvering—showing why the system looks the way it does today and why efforts to change it have repeatedly stalled.

President Donald Trump's 2025 address drew 36.6 million viewers

President Trump's audience was about 13% higher than President Biden's 2024 address, but it fell short of Donald Trump's first-term State of the Union viewership, which consistently topped 37 million and peaked near 48 million in 2017.

A majority of Americans think President Trump is using more power than previous presidents

An October 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 69% of Americans believed President Trump was trying to exert more power than previous presidents. Most Democrats viewed it negatively, while about half of Republicans said it was good for the country.

Hear about the US role in the Cuban Revolution—and the blowback it caused

Against long odds, Fidel Castro launched a socialist revolution just 90 miles from the US and kept it alive for decades. This 10-part podcast traces Washington's pivot from early support to an obsessive campaign of sabotage and hundreds of alleged assassination plots.

Donald Trump redefined presidential communication in the social media age

Trump used platforms like Twitter (now X) to bypass traditional media, announce policy, and confront opponents directly. His online presence reshaped political messaging, blurred the line between official and personal communication, and transformed how presidents engage the public.

Experts believe a Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship is likely in 2026

In September 2025, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to review lower court rulings striking down its executive order on birthright citizenship. If the court takes the case, a decision is expected by mid-2026.

Read an analysis of Roosevelt’s famous Congressional address by a speech writer

Former White House speechwriter Bob Lehrman breaks down why Roosevelt’s 520-word “Infamy” speech endures—showing how FDR used structure, urgency, radio-era reach and careful omissions to rally the nation and win near-unanimous support for war.

Learn about the long and contested history of free speech in America

This podcast examines how American free speech protections evolved—from the Founders' debates to landmark Supreme Court rulings—and why the country arrived at one of the most expansive speech regimes in the world.

Is China using archaeological findings to boost its territorial claims?

This 28-minute podcast dives into the political ramifications of two Ming dynasty-era ships found in the South China Sea in October 2022. The ships, filled with well-preserved porcelain and timber, were found 1,500 meters—about 4,900...

How two US Presidents defined WWII and its aftermath

The National WWII Museum’s “To the Best of My Ability” podcast series delves into how Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman steered the US through World War Two.

Listen to scholars debate abolishing the Electoral College

In this 2016 podcast episode, Harvard's Alex Keyssar and UVA's James Ceaser debate why the Electoral College was created, how parties reshaped it, and what reforms—national popular vote, runoffs, district allocation—could replace it.

Hear about the Enlightenment origins of the Declaration's ideas.

7 experts debate China's role in the future of the rules-based international order

This interactive feature showcases opposing arguments—from scholars who view China as a major threat to the order, to Chinese analyst Wu Xinbo's argument that China will shape the order's evolution rather than destroy it.

Foreign policy and war defined Madison's presidency

During James Madison's presidency, disputes with Britain and France over trade, maritime rights, and impressment dominated foreign policy, culminating in the War of 1812 and shaping how the United States engaged with major European powers.

Explore the fraught relations between the United States and Cuba since 1959

From the Cuban Missile Crisis and decades of economic embargo to President Obama's normalization efforts and President Trump's reversion to "maximum pressure," US-Cuba relations have fluctuated between hostility and fleeting diplomacy since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution.

Listen to a podcast episode that outlines 250 years of world trade history.

The 2025-26 Supreme Court docket is poised to reshape presidential power

As the Supreme Court begins a new term, several major cases could define the scope of presidential authority. The court may rule on President Trump's efforts to control state National Guard units, fire independent officials, impose tariffs, and cut congressionally mandated federal spending.

Listen to a podcast that traces the history of DOJ antitrust enforcement

This podcast series traces how the US government's approach to regulating big business has changed over a century—from the DOJ's breakup of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil monopoly, through lawyer Robert Bork's influence on how courts interpret competition law, to the FTC's modern antitrust lawsuit against Amazon.

Proponents argue that abandoning the rules-based order risks a return to the chaos that led to 2 world wars

Brookings scholar Robert Kagan warns that if China and Russia gain regional dominance, the world could return to the unstable conditions of the late 19th century—the same chaos that led to two devastating world wars.

The Washington Post's 'Presidential' podcast tells the story of every American president

Hosted by Lillian Cunningham, "Presidential" explores how each president rose to power, led through crises, and shaped the office. Featuring historians like David McCullough and journalists like Bob Woodward, the series traces leadership and legacy across American history.

The diplomat who implemented Monroe's policy introduced the poinsettia to the United States

Joel Roberts Poinsett, appointed as the first US minister to Mexico in 1825 following the doctrine's announcement, took cuttings of a vibrant Mexican plant called the cuetlaxochitl during his time there. Americans loved the foliage and named it after him.

Critics argued Hamilton prioritized central power over popular sovereignty

This podcast examines Hamilton's belief in expansive federal power and why he was repeatedly labeled a monarchist—tracing how his calls for a strong executive, his life-tenure proposals at the Constitutional Convention, and his admiration for British stability fueled accusations that he favored centralized power over republican rule.

Explore over a century of US-Canadian relations.

Read an overview of US tariff policy before the second Trump Administration

This comprehensive report from the Congressional Research Service explores the evolving role of tariffs—from a major source of government revenue to a tool for trade and foreign policy—providing insights into current practices, legal foundations, and global trade dynamics.