American Diplomat Diplomat Lounge: How To Fix Fear and Loathing in a Post Trump World
Apr 3, 2026
Mia Peterson, a Barrett senior and Gen Z spokesperson pushing soft power and exchanges. Juan Benilla Rivera, a Barrett senior from Colombia with regional perspective on trust. John Feely, a career U.S. diplomat with deep hemispheric experience. They debate restoring soft power, rebuilding trust in Latin America, the limits of transactional policy, and how educational exchanges and honest storytelling can reshape U.S. influence.
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High Cost Of Gunboat Diplomacy
- Recent US actions (destroying so-called narco boats, seizing Venezuelan leadership) have undermined due process and international norms.
- P. Romero argues these acts amount to overt gunboat diplomacy with broad regional repercussions and credibility costs.
America's Mask Off Strategy In The Americas
- The Trump administration made the Americas a preeminent national security priority and favored force over diplomacy.
- John Feely says the national security strategy openly substitutes blunt power for traditional carrot-and-stick diplomacy, removing previous diplomatic subtlety.
Volatile Trust In US Among Latin Americans
- Latin American trust in the US is volatile and split between governments and people.
- Juan Benilla Rivera says publics distrust the US more, while some governments remain transactional and willing to align depending on ideology.