Open Questions about Latin American Relations During the Trump Administration

We know very little about who will run Western Hemisphere affairs under the Trump administration. So far, the only named appointees are Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and National Security Council (NSC) Senior Director Craig Deare. There are as yet no nominees for key Western Hemisphere positions at State, Defense, or Commerce, which is not unexpected for an administration this young. Although the Latin America team is not fully formed, the pressing Latin America agenda – which will get underway in earnest with today’s visit by a Mexican delegation – suggests that it is well worth reflecting on the central questions likely to determine the trajectory of the region during Trump’s presidency:

In sum, although Latin America has long been one of the most neglected regions of U.S. foreign policy, the next four years are likely to significantly shift the trajectory of regional relations, regardless of whether the Trump administration adopts an active or passive role. The coming appointments of key Latin America personnel will provide us with a better sense of where the administration hopes to come down on some of the questions raised above.

[1] Deare, Craig A. “Latin America,” in Charting a Course: Strategic Choices for a New Administration, edited by R.D. Hooker, Jr. Washington: National Defense University Press, 2016.