By Cesar Conda and Thomas Trask
The daring capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro demonstrated the lengths to which the White House will go to execute on its vision of ensuring American security and shaping the country’s role in the Western Hemisphere. Beyond ending Maduro’s reign, the operation sent a message to the rest of the region: the days of cozying up to foreign adversaries and harming Americans through lax immigration and drug trafficking policies are over, and the era of the “Donroe Doctrine” is here.
But commitment to this vision requires a reevaluation of U.S. relationships with foreign powers in South America, the Caribbean, and throughout the world — allies and adversaries alike. Fortunately, there is a ready-made option that would not require complex military action or diplomatic horse-trading, only the will to do so from Congress and the White House: granting statehood to Puerto Rico.
The history of the U.S. and Puerto Rico has roots in the Monroe Doctrine, with the island annexed under an extension of that foreign policy nearly 130 years ago. In the years since, Puerto Rico has proven to be an invaluable national security partner — from its role as a major hub for the U.S. Navy during World War II, to its people serving in our military at extraordinarily high rates. In recent months, Puerto Rico has been instrumental in safeguarding America’s Caribbean border, functioning as a base of operations for increased U.S. military activity and as a launchpad from which American interests in the Western Hemisphere are protected. Even during the operation against Maduro, he was first taken to the airport in Aguadilla on the island en route to the U.S. to stand trial.
As President Trump and Secretary Rubio seek to shift the balance of power in Latin America, Puerto Rico will continue to be vital to that mission. But the uncertainty caused by the island’s current territorial status could jeopardize this initiative. As currently constituted, the relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico remains at arm’s length, and the interests of the territorial legislature and American leadership do not always align. If the situation in the region escalates and global powers like China or Russia intervene on behalf of their Latin American allies, we cannot afford anything less than seamless coordination with our military interests in the Caribbean.
As seen by maritime vessels being increasingly impacted and air travel halted in the wake of the Venezuela operation, there are critical economic risks also at play. By granting statehood to Puerto Rico and placing it on equal footing with states that serve as staging grounds for major deployments — like California or North Carolina — the Administration will ensure the country is best positioned to handle any challenges that arise.
Conversely, if the vocal minority supporting independence were to get their way, the U.S. would risk losing a critical foothold in the region with potentially devastating consequences. Statehood is by far the most popular desired outcome when put to a vote, but high-profile voices continue to push for Puerto Rico to break away entirely. Severing this more than century-long relationship would be a strategic disaster for our national defense — not only jeopardizing future operations in the Western Hemisphere, but immediately leaving the U.S. exposed to threats along our Caribbean border and creating a vulnerability ripe for exploitation by our adversaries.
Leaders in Puerto Rico recognize the significance of this moment and support the President’s aims. Following the capture of Maduro, Puerto Rico’s Republican Governor and statehood backer Jenniffer González Colón stated that she was “proud” the former leader’s narco-dictatorship had come to an end and that the U.S. Armed Forces “may continue to rely on Puerto Rico as a strategic partner in the mission to support our national security and bring stability to our hemisphere.”
The people of Puerto Rico support joining the union as well, overwhelmingly favoring statehood as their preferred status option during the island’s most recent plebiscite in the fall of 2024. Statehood would also honor the thousands of Puerto Rican veterans who have bravely served our country by providing them with the same access to benefits as service members living on the mainland.
While necessary for protecting Americans from Venezuela’s former regime, the Administration’s recent move means the situation in the region is now more fraught than in recent memory. As the president advances the “Donroe Doctrine” — floating potential military action against other bad actors like Cuba, which sits less than 1,000 miles from Puerto Rico — he should also rethink the country’s relationship with somewhere much closer to home. If the White House is serious about protecting America’s citizens and future, welcoming Puerto Rico as the 51st state is a great place to start.
Cesar Conda was Secretary Marco Rubio’s first Chief of Staff when he served as U.S. Senator from Florida and is a Founding Principal of Navigators Global. General Thomas Trask served as Vice Commander of the Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command and is a Senior Advisor with Navigators Global Security and Defense.
