David Schultz, Professor of Political Science at Hamline University, USA, Visiting Lecturer at Mykolas Romeris University (MRU), and a member of the MRU LAB Justice Research Laboratory.
Global politics is once again witnessing the resurgence of expansionist rhetoric – this time in new forms. Certain statements and actions by Donald Trump invite discussion not only about a return to older U.S. foreign policy doctrines, but also about their potentially dangerous radicalization. This text examines why these trends evoke historical precedents of expansionism for some observers, and what risks such parallels may signal today.
From Venezuela to Greenland
At first, Donald Trump, almost like a conquistador, supported actions resembling a half-coup in Venezuela. Later came the revival of the Monroe Doctrine and its expansion in the 2025 National Security Strategy. Now, Greenland has entered the discourse – accompanied by threats of tariffs and economic sanctions against countries that fail to comply with Washington’s demands. Let us call this by its name: Trump’s “Lebensraum.”
What Is “Lebensraum”?
“Lebensraum” was a political philosophy underpinning 20th-century German expansionism, reaching its most extreme and deadly expression under Adolf Hitler. Rooted in racism, nationalism, and imperialism, the concept asserted that Germany had a natural right to dominate its “sphere of influence.” Territories, resources, and peoples were to be absorbed or subjugated in the name of an alleged national destiny. This was not a defensive policy – it was ideological expansion cloaked in the language of security.
The Monroe Doctrine and American Expansionism
The original Monroe Doctrine was both ambitious and paradoxical. When proclaimed in 1823, the United States lacked the military power to enforce it. The warning to Europe against interference in the Western Hemisphere was more aspiration than credible threat. Yet as U.S. power grew, so did the willingness to enforce the doctrine by force.
The 20th century offered numerous examples: the Spanish–American War, Lyndon B. Johnson’s intervention in the Dominican Republic, Richard Nixon’s policy toward Chile, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the intense focus on Fidel Castro, Ronald Reagan’s actions in Nicaragua, as well as long-term economic dominance in Canada and Mexico.
Together with the 19th-century idea of “Manifest Destiny” – the belief that Americans were destined, even divinely ordained, to expand across the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific – the Monroe Doctrine became a foundation of American expansionism. It may be described as imperialism, colonialism, or sphere-of-influence politics. In other words, an American version of “Lebensraum.”
Old Doctrines, New Rhetoric
Donald Trump is not fundamentally creating something new; he is reviving an old doctrine while discarding its previous diplomatic restraint. Venezuela and Greenland have become symbols of what some critics call the “Donroe Doctrine.” The language may be new, but the motive remains the same. Economic pressure replaces warships, tariffs substitute for troops, and threats stand in for diplomacy. The underlying logic, however, persists: expansion without accountability.
Domestic Politics and Authoritarian Tendencies
D. Trump’s foreign policy ambitions cannot be entirely separated from his domestic actions. Although comparisons to Hitler strike many as excessive, critics argue that certain parallels are not coincidental.
The use of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) for raids in Minneapolis and elsewhere, strict immigration policies, including the Muslim travel ban, family separations, and detentions carried out by masked agents, have been viewed as signs of authoritarian practices reminiscent of secret police operations.
Labeling the press “enemies of the people” also carries historical resonance. The shaping of federal courts based on loyalty, the prosecution of political opponents, and attempts to discredit investigations conducted by critics are, according to detractors, consistent with patterns of power centralization and the criminalization of opposition.
Electoral Legitimacy and Information Control
Gerrymandering, restrictions on voter participation, and the delegitimization of unfavorable election results resemble tactics employed by illiberal regimes. The elevation of the social media platform “Truth Social” (created by Trump Media & Technology Group, founded by Donald Trump) to a near-official information channel, alongside restrictions on press access, raises concerns about information control.
The events of January 6, 2021 – the storming of the U.S. Capitol – and the subsequent normalization of political violence have further deepened societal divisions.
Greenland and the Lessons of History
The question of Greenland has become symbolic. Critics argue that D. Trump’s desire to acquire it recalls historical precedents of territorial claims, when concessions were offered in the name of stability, most notably the 1938 Munich Agreement, when Western powers allowed Hitler to annex the Sudetenland in hopes of preserving peace. Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement policy is today more often regarded as a cautionary warning than a model to follow.
If one demand were satisfied, what would come next? Iceland? Cuba? Canada as the “51st state”? Even when expressed rhetorically, such considerations suggest a broader vision of expanding territorial influence.
A Warning, Not a Metaphor
History never repeats itself exactly, yet certain patterns recur. “Trump’s Lebensraum” may be understood not as a literal analogy, but as a warning about the dangers of expansionist policy and the weakening of democratic institutions. Such parallels encourage not only debate about U.S. foreign policy, but also broader reflection on the resilience of democracy in the 21st century.