The ‘America First’ Disruption
President Trump’s “America First’ agenda has riled a long list of geopolitical hotspots. From the tenuous U.S. relationship with China, Iran, Canada, Mexico and the EU — to Trump’s recent invasion of Venezuela, criticism of NATO, unconditional support of Israel, and threats to acquire Greenland — all the world is a very messy stage.
We have not seen such American muscle flexing since the 1823 Monroe Doctrine in which President James Monroe put all of Europe on notice about meddling in any part of the Western Hemisphere.
In 2026, president Trump’s ‘MAGA’ worldview and U.S. centric foreign policy is upending old alliances, elevating global tensions, and re-shaping the modern world order — conditions that strengthen gold’s role as a winning investment and an effective, if not essential, portfolio diversifier.
The Monroe Doctrine versus the ‘Donroe’ Doctrine
Over 200 years ago — soldier, senator, diplomat and President James Monroe guided a young America through a critical transition period highlighted by an aggressive foreign policy seeking to limit European colonization.
His ‘Monroe Doctrine’ put Europe on notice, in the form of a direct warning that the United States would no longer tolerate the establishing of new colonies in the Americas — effectively declaring U.S. dominance over the region.
“We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety.”[1]
Monroe’s presidential tenure enjoyed strong economic growth, key territorial acquisitions, and a prevailing sense of national unity.
“The ending of the War of 1812 marked a brief period in United States History referred to as the ‘Era of Good Feelings’ —a few years of prosperity, lessening of political division, and interest in projects for the national good … From approximately 1815 to 1825, the United States turned inward, enjoying the feelings of victory, peace and prosperity in the first few years of the era.”[2]
President Trump has not only embraced the optimism of the Monroe era, he is similarly asserting American strength to the “powers who want to establish greater footprints in South America,” according to the New York Post. And it reflects Trump’s risk-taking as well as his willingness to take definitive and decisive action.[3]
The Best Laid Plans … Often Go Awry
Not everyone is impressed with Trump’s ‘man of action’ persona however. There are growing fears that his ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is actually doing more to instill bad will than to evoke good feelings. The President’s secret operation in Venezuela, warnings to Iran, and threats against Greenland could escalate tensions with other global powers like China, Russia and the EU.
And according the South China Morning Post, there seems to be no coherent or broad-based strategy for the administration’s aggressive rhetoric and unilateral intervention which could result in geopolitical backlash and far muddier thickets than what the White House anticipated.
“Trump would do well to remember the law of unintended consequences. In each of these deeply complex and entangled contexts, his blunt interventions could become a destabilising factor down the line … Trump’s team should remember the adage, ‘The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry’ – let alone impulsively conceived, poorly crafted and haphazardly executed non-plans.”[4]
Suffice to say, president Trump’s Monroe-style unilateralism and expansionism could ultimately undermine U.S. interests, upend the global balance of power, and sow the seeds of world chaos.
Gold Thrives in Geopolitical Firestorms
Gold was made for moments like this. It is a global safe haven — and its historical performance during times of crisis and conflict is well documented. It is a geopolitical hedge and a powerful diversifier held by the world’s most influential monetary authorities and national banks. Its price is driven by supply, demand, and intrinsic value independent of country, alliance or political affiliation.
Gerald Loeb, the founding partner of E.F. Hutton, once said that “the desire for gold is the most universal and deeply rooted commercial instinct of the human race.”[5]
When currencies collapse, markets stumble, or diplomatic trust erodes — gold is the universal instrument of value, liquidity and wealth preservation. And in volatile times like these, it shifts from a discretionary holding to a strategic hedge.
“In times of geopolitical turmoil, gold consistently emerges as the investment of choice for those seeking stability. This precious metal has maintained its status as a reliable store of value for thousands of years, and modern market behavior continues to reinforce this reputation. When political tensions rise, currencies fluctuate, and stock markets become volatile, gold often moves in the opposite direction, providing a counterbalance to portfolio losses.”[6]
So, for as long as Donald Trump continues to wave the MAGA banner, embrace an ‘America First’ agenda, and advance a modern Monroe style foreign policy, gold will remain a preferred hedge against geopolitical risk. And for investors, savers and retirees — rising demand is likely to continue to support higher and higher prices.
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[1] https://www.oas.org/sap/peacefund/VirtualLibrary/MonroeDoctrine/Treaty/MonroeDoctrine.pdf
[2] https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/era-good-feelings-jacksonian-age
[3] https://nypost.com/2026/01/04/opinion/venezuela-op-heralds-the-donroe-doctrine-era-of-ruthless-american-action/
[4] https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340443/trumps-blunt-interventions-risk-undermining-us-interests
[5] https://www.streetwisereports.com/article/2024/08/19/precious-mettle-1.html
[6] https://discoveryalert.com.au/gold-global-uncertainty-price-movements-2025/
