The Venezuela Invasion, the Monroe Doctrine, International Law, and Trump Takeovers

On January 3, 2026, the U.S. military captured Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro and his wife and brought them back  to the United States where they faced criminal charges related to drug trafficking. Many questioned the legality of the invasion and a policy from the 1800s called the Monroe Doctrine was being alluded to by the current administration.  Trump’s reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine nicknamed 

“The Donroe Doctrine” by Trump himself, was originally a policy created back in 1823 by then-President James Monroe to oppose European interference in the Western Hemisphere. Trump reinvoked Monroe in his decision to take over Venezuela and publicly made threats to take over other countries.

On this episode of Lawyer 2 Lawyer, Craig joins Claire Finkelstein, Professor of National Security Law and faculty director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Craig & Claire discuss international law, the Monroe Doctrine, the legality  of the Venezuela invasion, and the threats from the Trump administration of possible takeovers of other countries.

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Monroe Doctrine

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