Trump's Actions Spark Fears of New American Imperialism: A Return to 'Gunboat Diplomacy'

• President Trump's recent actions, including attempts to seize Venezuelan oil and acquire Greenland, evoke comparisons to early 20th-century American imperialistic practices.
• The USS Wilmington's 1899 visit to Venezuela's Orinoco River, demonstrating firepower, is cited as an early example of 'gunboat diplomacy'.
• Trump's open declaration of taking Venezuela's oil and considering military force for Greenland marks a departure from previous US justifications for intervention.
• Historians and diplomats draw parallels to the 'Banana Wars' and US interventions in Latin America and China to protect commercial interests.
• Critics suggest Trump's approach signifies a shift from 'forever wars' and nation-building to short, sharp uses of force for power, territory, and resources.

Why It Matters: Trump's transactional foreign policy, focused on resource acquisition, signals a potential return to overt American imperialism.