El Salvador's Bukele Is A True Knight Of The Golden Circle

On April 14, 2025, President Donald Trump welcomed El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to the White House, marking a significant moment in U.S.-Latin American relations. The meeting, framed as a “working visit,” was not just about addressing immediate issues like migration and gang crackdowns but also carried undertones of a broader, historical ambition tied to the 19th-century vision of the Knights of the Golden Circle—a secret society that sought to create a unified, pro-slavery empire encompassing the southern U.S., Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America, all centered around the Gulf of Mexico. Trump, known for his admiration of strongman leaders, sees in Bukele a charismatic and authoritarian figure who could potentially expand his influence across Central America, aligning with a modern reinterpretation of this vision through economic and political unification under U.S. influence.

Bukele, often dubbed the “world’s coolest dictator,” has already demonstrated a knack for consolidating power in El Salvador, with an approval rating soaring above 80% due to his aggressive anti-gang policies, despite international criticism for human rights abuses and democratic backsliding. Trump’s administration has embraced Bukele as a key ally, particularly for his willingness to accept deported migrants into El Salvador’s notorious supermax prison, a move that aligns with Trump’s hardline immigration stance. However, the meeting also hinted at a grander strategy: by supporting Bukele’s regional influence—potentially through economic incentives like tariff exemptions or nuclear energy partnerships—Trump may envision a unified bloc of Gulf-adjacent nations under a shared governance model, echoing the Knights of the Golden Circle’s dream of a hemispheric empire. This vision would prioritize security, economic integration, and U.S. dominance, with Bukele as a pivotal leader in Central America.

While the Knights of the Golden Circle’s original ideology was rooted in slavery and expansionism, a contemporary version under Trump’s influence would likely focus on countering China’s growing presence in Latin America, securing trade routes, and establishing a pro-U.S. political sphere. Bukele’s control over El Salvador’s government branches and his popularity make him a candidate to lead such an initiative, potentially expanding his model of governance to neighboring countries like Honduras and Guatemala, where Trump has already secured cooperation agreements. Critics, however, warn that this partnership risks further eroding democratic norms in the region, as Bukele’s methods—mass incarcerations, suppression of dissent, and constitutional overreach—could inspire similar tactics elsewhere, all while serving Trump’s geopolitical ambitions. The meeting, therefore, was not just a bilateral discussion but a potential step toward a unified Gulf of America governance structure, with Bukele as a linchpin in Trump’s broader imperial vision.