RECALIBRATION IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH: AN ANALYSIS OF U.S. POLICY TOWARD LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATIONS

Abstract

This paper examines the strategic recalibration of United States foreign policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) during the two terms of   the Trump administration (2016-2024, 2025-present). Couched within the theoretical frameworks of realism, neoclassical realism, constructivism and dependency theory, each offering very different lenses for understanding power, state behavior, and global inequality, the study discusses the “America First” doctrine which is a political ideology and policy framework that prioritizes the domestic economy, national sovereignty   and security of the Unites States above global treaties, foreign aid and international interventions. It argues that “America first” strongly represents a radical shift toward unilateralism, coercive diplomacy, and transactional engagement. This undoubtedly has been responsible for reshaping hemispheric relations through sanctions, migration restrictions, and security‑driven partnerships. Using a content analysis approach, this qualitative research draws on policy documents, regional responses, and geopolitical trends. It explores how domestic political narratives - particularly populism and nationalism - intersect with traditional realist imperatives to reinforce U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere. It further assesses how these policies deepened structural asymmetries, constrained regional autonomy, and influenced the strategic behavior of Caribbean and Latin American states. The article contributes to existing debates on U.S. hemispheric strategy and hegemonic designs by demonstrating how identity politics, economic leverage, and security concerns have been converging   to redefine inter‑American relations during this period. The analysis presented in this study demonstrates that the Trump administration’s foreign policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean is shaped by a hybrid configuration of strategic imperatives, domestic political narratives, structural asymmetries, and ideational framing.