Amb. John D. Feeley on U.S. Troops and "Gunboat Diplomacy"

Amb. John D. Feeley on U.S. Troops and "Gunboat Diplomacy"

From The Brief by Jim Clancy

November 30, 2025 · 35 min

About this episode

Amb. John D. Feeley discusses U.S. military policy and its implications for international law and diplomacy.

John Feeley is former U.S. Ambassador to Panama who advised the Trump and Biden administrations on Latin America. He resigned over policy differences during Trump's first term. He had previously served as a Captain in the US Marine Corp, flying helicopters that ferried troops from US naval vessels to shore. "We are in...literally uncharted waters." A former U.S. Ambassador and Marine helicopter pilot, John Feeley, joins Jim Clancy for a thorough discussion of the Trump Administration's military buildup in the Caribbean. Feeley, who resigned his diplomatic post as Ambassador to Panama during the first Trump Administration, says the current U.S. posture jeopardizes America's leadership position in a rules based order. "Gunboat diplomacy" is putting U.S. service members into murky legal territory. Amb. Feeley warns putting politics over professionalism is not going to solve America's drug problem and Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth chest thumping about "warriors" can't shield American soldiers and sailors from international law. "There are a lot of bad people around the world, there are bad regimes, and there are threats to the United States. And we need a professional warrior class…

People in this episode

Host: Jim Clancy

Guest: John D. Feeley

Topics covered

  • U.S. military
  • diplomacy
  • Latin America
  • gunboat diplomacy
  • international law
  • drug policy

Keywords

  • U.S. troops
  • gunboat diplomacy
  • military buildup
  • international law
  • drug problem
  • diplomatic policy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Trump Administration, Biden administrations, US Marine Corp

Places: Panama, United States, Caribbean

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