U.S. House Financial Services Committee chair urges renewed Monroe Doctrine focus and expanded use of U.S. finance tools in Latin America

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee’s chair, French Hill, published a commentary calling on President Trump to recommit to the Monroe Doctrine as a framework for U.S. engagement in Latin America, arguing it should be used to counter external powers’ influence and support regional security and economic ties. Hill pointed to early second-term actions he characterized as consistent with this approach, including efforts to isolate Cuba, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s first foreign trip to Argentina, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s mandate to “recharge” partnerships across Latin America. The piece also cited the extradition of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores on drug-trafficking charges, designation of several cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, stepped-up cooperation with Mexico on enforcement, efforts to curtail Chinese fentanyl shipments through Mexico, and deployment of military assets to the Caribbean to target drug-smuggling. On the economic agenda, Hill argued the administration, with congressional support, should leverage the Development Finance Corporation and the Inter-American Development Bank to channel private capital to the region, and use the Export-Import Bank and the Trade and Development Agency to support U.S. exporters and strengthen commercial ties; he also referenced his committee’s travel and engagements across Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, and Honduras focused on China’s growing regional influence.