In the book "Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq," Stephen Kinzer discusses a pivotal moment in U.S. history regarding its involvement in foreign coups. President Kennedy's stance during this time is ambiguous; he refrains from explicitly endorsing action, yet the advisors and military officials continue to operate under the assumption that the U.S. government is backing the coup efforts.

This situation highlights the complexities of foreign policy decision-making, where lack of clear communication can lead to significant actions being taken. The U.S.’s implicit support of the coup reflects a broader trend of interventionism during Kennedy’s administration, shaping the course of events in the affected nations and revealing the tension between public policy and covert operations.