Ryan Knudson

Before we talk exactly about what that is and what it means, I want to start with the status quo.

It seemed like the primary force that drove American foreign policy since World War II was the spreading of democracy, exercising soft power.

Can you describe what that looked like?

And then, after the Cold War ended and the US emerged as the global superpower, its foreign policy began to evolve.

So now, as you said, President Trump seems to be pivoting the strategy to more actively pursuing resources.

So starting with the beginning of his second term, can you sort of walk us through where we've seen that play out?

Economics and money have been central to much of Trump's approach to foreign policy.

In his first year back in office, Trump has talked about establishing more American control in several unexpected places.

Greg says these seemingly disparate issues have a common thread.

But what about Canada, which is such a close ally?

Why does the U.S.

need to control it?

All of these countries, by the way, say they're not interested in any kind of U.S.

takeover.

Greg says that Trump's view of foreign policy is actually taking a page out of an old playbook.

So the Trump administration put out this policy paper last year in which it describes Trump's view on foreign policy and explains it as a Trump corollary to the Monroe Doctrine.

Now, I remember learning about the Monroe Doctrine from my high school social studies teacher, Mr. Wilson.

Shout out, Mr. Wilson.

But can you remind us what that is, the Monroe Doctrine?

Still, the Monroe Doctrine was effective at exerting U.S.