RUBIO: This Is Our Hemisphere — and President Trump Will Not Allow Our Security to be Threatened

Trump Administration’s Decisive Operation Against Nicolás Maduro Enhances Western Hemisphere Security

Impact Score: 3

Timeline: N/A; immediate national security focus without specific deadlines

Summary: The Trump Administration successfully led the capture of indicted narcoterrorist Nicolás Maduro, emphasizing non-traditional military engagement focused on securing U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere. The operation aims to thwart drug trafficking, Iranian proxies, and hostile regimes, enforcing measures like oil quarantines and asset seizures. This marks a strategic shift prioritizing regional security distinct from Middle East policies.

Key Actions: Vanderbilt should enhance geopolitical research through its Latin American Studies and Political Science departments, explore legal and economic ramifications in Law and Economics, and foster public policy discussions on foreign intervention ethics. Opportunities exist to lead research, training, and international conferences on hemispheric security and U.S.-Latin America relations.