Finally, there is the Western Hemisphere. Trump is saying that it is America’s exclusive sphere of influence. We will use our military and economic power to dominate our neighborhood and exclude outsiders. Chinese investors and drug dealers are in trouble.
This is old-fashioned imperialism. As it applies to the manufacturing and transportation of illegal drugs, it is bound to fail, just as it has for the last 50 years. As it applies to large left-leaning South American countries, it is a recipe either for disastrous military interventions or, more likely, for noisy economic conflicts that make everyone poor and angry without coming to any resolution. And for friendly right-wing governments, it is a green light for thuggish authoritarian rule.