Trump’s territorial ambition: new imperialism or a case of the emperor’s new clothes?
The Guardian••general
Key Points:
- In early 2026, the US under President Donald Trump orchestrated the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, signaling a bold new era of US imperial ambitions focused on territorial expansion and resource control, particularly oil.
- Trump openly declared US dominance over the Western Hemisphere, threatening nations like Cuba and Colombia, and expressing intentions to seize Greenland, emphasizing a foreign policy rooted in power and force, dubbed the "Donroe doctrine."
- The Trump administration's rhetoric marks a stark shift as it embraces overt imperialism, paralleling revanchist aims seen in Russia under Putin and China under Xi Jinping, all seeking to restore or expand historical empires.
- Experts note that while US imperialism has long been present, Trump's approach is more brazen and
