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Chris, Zack, and Melanie got together to talk about the second Trump administration’s agenda in the Western Hemisphere. What interests does the United States have in Latin America? Should the United States be pushing back on China’s activities in the region? If so, what carrots and sticks can the United States offer countries there? And will the administration officials eager to focus on the region be able to sustain that focus, when so many other parts of the world are competing for U.S. attention?

Chris gives the chilly weather the cold shoulder, Zack wishes the outgoing and new presidents would enforce the Tik Tok ban as the law requires, and Melanie thanks the departing chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence for his service.

 Episode Reading

• Ryan Berg, “This Trump Administration is Shaping Up to Be Latin America First,” Foreign Policy, January 8, 2025.
• Alexander B. Gray, “Trump Will End Passivity in the Western Hemisphere,” Foreign Policy, January 13, 2025.
• Lisa Friedman, “Why Does Trump Want the Panama Canal? Here’s What to Know,” New York Times, January 8, 2025.
• Ana Swanson, “Trump’s Falsehoods Aside, China’s Influence Over Global Ports Raises Concerns,” New York Times, January 2, 2025.
• Riley Ceder, “Navy Names Aircraft Carriers after Former Presidents Bush and Clinton,” Navy Times, January 15, 2025.
• James T. Areddy, Ryan Dube, and Roque Ruiz, “How China Capitalized on US Indifference in Latin America,” Wall Street Journal, November 14, 2024.
• Timothy Garton Ash, Ivan Krastev, Mark Leonard, “Alone in a Trumpian world: The EU and global public opinion after the US elections,” Policy Brief, European Council on Foreign Relations, January 15, 2025

Image: The White House via Wikimedia Commons