U.S. TRACK RECORD OF ATTACKS AND OCCUPATIONS OF STATES

In the recent past  the U.S. that has been called a rogue state because of its military intervention in different parts of the world; using force to quell opposition and expel illegal immigrants by deploying the National Guard. Threats under the Trump administration towards Greenland, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba,  Panama and Iran, and its recent act of regime change in Venezuela.

The United States has a track record of periodic attacks and occupations of states under the pretext of regime change.

1. Overthrow of the Hawaïan Kingdom (1893)
2. Occupation of Cuba (1898-1902)
3. Occupation of the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam (1898-1899)
4. Separation of Panama from Colombia (1903)
5. Occupation of Cuba (1906-1909)
6. Occupation of Nicaragua (1912-1933)
7. Ten Tragic Days (1913) Mexico
8. Occupation of Veracruz (1914) Mexico
9. Occupation of Haiti (1915-1934)
10. Occupation of the Dominican Republic (1916-1924)
11. American occupation zone in Germany (1945-1949), Germany
12. American occupation zone in Austria (1945-1955), Austria
13. Occupation of Japan (1945-1952), Japan
14. Occupation of Korea (1945-1948) Korea
15. Iranian coup d’état (1953), Iran
16. Involvement in the Congo Crisis (1960-1965), Congo
17. Laotian counter-coup by Phoumi Nosavan (1960), Laos
18. Bay of Pigs invasion (1961), Cuba
19. Operation Mongoose in Cuba (1961), Cuba
20. South Vietnamese coup d’état (1963), Vietnam
21. Brazilian coup d’état (1964), Brazil
22. Ousting of Cheddi Jagan in British Guiana (1964), British Guiana
23. Occupation of the Dominican Republic (1965-1966), Dominican Republic
24. Transition to the New Order in Indonesia (1965-66), Indonesia
25. Bolivian coup d’état (1971), Bolivia
26. Chilean coup d’état (1973), Chile
27. Support for UNITA in Angola (1975-1992), Angola
28. Support for the Afghan mujahideen in Afghanistan (1979-1992)
29. Support for the Contras in Nicaragua (1981-1990), Nicaragua
30. Invasion of Grenada (1983), Grenada
31. Invasion of Panama (1989), Panama
32. Occupation of Haiti (1994-1995); Haiti
33. Iraq, failed coup d’état (1990s), Iraq
34. Overthrow of Slobodan Milošević (2000), Serbia
35. Invasion of Afghanistan (2001), Afghanistan
36. Invasion of Iraq ‘2003), Iraq
37. Haitian coup d’état (2004), Haiti
38. Involvement in the Libyan Civil War (2011), Libya
39. Involvement in the Syrian Civil War (2012-2017), Syria
40. Greenland crisis, Greenland
41. United States intervention in Venezuela (2026), Venezuela
42. Cuban crisis (2026), Cuba
43. Iran war (Regime change efforts) (2026), Iran

American President Donald Trump, during both his first and second administrations, has openly justified toppling regimes that do not conform to U.S. policies. Violations of international law by the United States are accusations frequently levelled by states facing threats of military intervention and occupation.

If a country that claims to be the world’s leading democracy transforms into a rogue state, it indicates that the leadership of America no longer cares about adherence to international law and human rights, and that instead of multilateralism, it pursues a unilateral policy

If the United States is alleged to meet the conditions of a rogue state, then why do its NATO allies not take a stand? When the U.S. President openly calls for the occupation of Greenland—legally a part of Denmark and also a member of NATO—it suggests that America has crossed a line and is willing to embark on severe violations of international law.

According to The Guardian issue of 4 January 2026, “amid the immense confusion surrounding the US strikes on Venezuela, the seizure of the president, Nicolás Maduro, and Donald Trump’s announcement that the US will ‘run’ the country and ‘take back the oil’, one thing is clear – they set a truly chilling precedent. The US has a grim history of interference, invasion and occupation in the region, but the early hours of Saturday saw its first major military attack on South American land. ‘American dominance in the western hemisphere will never be questioned again,’ Mr Trump declared. The decision to unilaterally attack another country and abduct its leader, days after he publicly sought an off-ramp, has still wider repercussions. It should alarm us all.”

If a country that claims to be the world’s leading democracy transforms into a rogue state, it indicates that the leadership of America no longer cares about adherence to international law and human rights, and that instead of multilateralism, it pursues a unilateral policy. Three reasons can be identified to explain why the United States may proceed along the path of a rogue state. First, under President Trump’s National Security Strategy 2025, the United States considers the Western Hemisphere as its sphere of influence.

The recent U.S. attack on Venezuela and the abduction of its President and First Lady provide clear evidence of how it can launch open aggression and escape accountability. Second, President Trump, who in his first term blamed the ‘deep state’ for conspiring against his policies, is in his second term utilizing deep-state structures of the U.S., such as the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of War (formerly the Pentagon), and the military–industrial complex, to launch gunboat diplomacy against non-conformist states.

What is most troubling in Trump’s policy—tantamount to declaring America a rogue state—is the failure of civil society and human rights groups to exert pressure on the U.S. government to refrain from actions that could shatter the country’s global image. Except for Senator Bernie Sanders and the Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, no American leader has openly criticized Trump for the manner in which he is transforming the U.S. into a rogue state. Recently, however, the U.S. Senate has bound President Trump to seek congressional approval for carrying out further actions against Venezuela. The Democratic Party, which is in a position to challenge the Trump administration over its domestic and foreign policy adventures, remains in a compromising position.

The insecurity of President Trump, coupled with the possible backlash against his unpopular policy of deploying National Guard forces in major American cities against illegal immigrants, as well as his foreign policy adventures involving Venezuela and Greenland, has compelled him to express fears that if the Democratic Party wins the mid-term elections scheduled for November 2026, he may be impeached. It should be noted that President Trump has already been impeached twice by the House of Representatives.

While impeachment by Congress may remain a remote possibility, given the public mood against the Trump administration’s unpopular measures, there is a likelihood that Republicans may not win the mid-term polls, as occurred in November 2017 when Democratic Party nominee Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House of Representatives and posed significant challenges to President Trump.

Finally, if the United States does not become a rogue state, it will be because of elements within America that possess sufficient democratic commitment to prevent the Republican Party under President Trump from plunging the country into rogue behavior. Trump knows that this is his last chance, as he cannot seek re-election in 2028. In that case, one may remain cautiously optimistic that America will not abandon its democratic identity and will not become a source of conflict within the First World or within NATO.