US Asserts Control Over Western Hemisphere Through Economic Warfare

The escalating trade tensions between Canada and the US under Trump may have less to do with economics than a larger geopolitical strategy, argues a University of Saskatchewan expert. The US's National Security Strategy (NSS) of 2025 marks a sharp break in American foreign policy, rejecting the rules-based international order and liberalized trade regime that has guided American policy since 1945.

The NSS resurrects longstanding isolationist and protectionist ideologies, asserting the 'Trump Corollary' to the Monroe Doctrine. This doctrine, first introduced by President James Monroe in 1823, asserts the US's exclusive right to expel foreign threats from the Western Hemisphere and intervene in any country whose domestic affairs present a threat to American security interests.

The Trump administration has already applied this doctrine in various ways, including the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Now, it's looking north, with Canada and Greenland being eyed as crucial for their energy and mineral resources. The US is seeking to assert its control over these resources through economic warfare, using tariffs to break Canada's economy.