The Organization of American States Under a Second Trump Presidency

This paper assesses the strategic importance of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the Western Hemisphere amid renewed U.S. nationalism under a second Trump presidency. It argues that reductions in U.S. funding, unilateral foreign policy rhetoric, and threats of intervention risk undermining the OAS’s institutional authority and regional legitimacy. Through an examination of the OAS’s historical role, current budgetary constraints, and emerging alternatives such as CELAC, the paper contends that U.S. disengagement incentivizes hemispheric states to pursue autonomous or adversarial alignments. It concludes that sustained U.S. leadership within the OAS is essential not only for regional stability, democratic governance, and disaster response, but also for maintaining U.S. influence in an increasingly competitive multipolar order.