The MAGA movement, once seen as a peace-loving group disparaging George W. Bush and Barack Obama for their "forever wars," has found itself at odds with its own ideology after President Trump's recent military incursion in Venezuela.
It appears that the American right has always been prone to war, even if it took on a more isolationist tone before Trump's presidency. The original "America First" movement leading up to World War II was heavily influenced by a certain German chancellor, but most other instances have seen the GOP as reliable warhawks.
Trump's foray into the Venezuelan affair comes as no surprise, however. By positioning himself as an opponent of his predecessors' military actions, Trump inadvertently revealed his own pro-war stance. He has consistently stated that he would have taken more aggressive action if given the chance, and his advisors have backed up these claims.
The Venezuelan operation is not just a matter of national security; it's also about oil. The administration's official reasons for taking down President Nicolás Maduro are flimsy at best, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio clearly driven by a desire to eliminate leftist governments in Latin America.
As expected, the GOP establishment has fallen in line behind Trump's actions, with the exception of a few vocal dissenters like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie. But it seems that nobody is listening to them anymore. Instead, figures like Stephen Miller, who advocate for "straight-up American domination," are gaining traction among MAGA supporters.
Miller believes that in order for the US to succeed globally, it must wield power and strength through force. The armada stationed off the Venezuelan coast will keep the country's residents in line, according to him.
The new "Donroe Doctrine" holds that the US has the right to do whatever it wants in the Western Hemisphere, including annexing countries and taking their resources. This philosophy aligns with Matt Walsh's definition of an America First foreign policy: turning other countries into subordinate vassals.
Not everyone within the MAGA movement shares this enthusiasm for war, however. White nationalist Nick Fuentes was met with resistance from some of his followers after celebrating the Venezuelan operation on Telegram.
Despite Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon's long-standing support for the "America First" philosophy, they have expressed reservations about sending troops into Venezuela.
What remains to be seen is how the MAGA faithful will react when it comes time to vote in November. A recent Reuters poll found that only 33% of Americans approve of Trump's actions in Venezuela, and even among Republicans, support for taking over the oil fields is limited to just 60%.
In short, the "Donroe Doctrine" has fallen flat with the American people, leaving the GOP to worry about the consequences of its increasingly aggressive foreign policy under Trump.
It appears that the American right has always been prone to war, even if it took on a more isolationist tone before Trump's presidency. The original "America First" movement leading up to World War II was heavily influenced by a certain German chancellor, but most other instances have seen the GOP as reliable warhawks.
Trump's foray into the Venezuelan affair comes as no surprise, however. By positioning himself as an opponent of his predecessors' military actions, Trump inadvertently revealed his own pro-war stance. He has consistently stated that he would have taken more aggressive action if given the chance, and his advisors have backed up these claims.
The Venezuelan operation is not just a matter of national security; it's also about oil. The administration's official reasons for taking down President Nicolás Maduro are flimsy at best, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio clearly driven by a desire to eliminate leftist governments in Latin America.
As expected, the GOP establishment has fallen in line behind Trump's actions, with the exception of a few vocal dissenters like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie. But it seems that nobody is listening to them anymore. Instead, figures like Stephen Miller, who advocate for "straight-up American domination," are gaining traction among MAGA supporters.
Miller believes that in order for the US to succeed globally, it must wield power and strength through force. The armada stationed off the Venezuelan coast will keep the country's residents in line, according to him.
The new "Donroe Doctrine" holds that the US has the right to do whatever it wants in the Western Hemisphere, including annexing countries and taking their resources. This philosophy aligns with Matt Walsh's definition of an America First foreign policy: turning other countries into subordinate vassals.
Not everyone within the MAGA movement shares this enthusiasm for war, however. White nationalist Nick Fuentes was met with resistance from some of his followers after celebrating the Venezuelan operation on Telegram.
Despite Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon's long-standing support for the "America First" philosophy, they have expressed reservations about sending troops into Venezuela.
What remains to be seen is how the MAGA faithful will react when it comes time to vote in November. A recent Reuters poll found that only 33% of Americans approve of Trump's actions in Venezuela, and even among Republicans, support for taking over the oil fields is limited to just 60%.
In short, the "Donroe Doctrine" has fallen flat with the American people, leaving the GOP to worry about the consequences of its increasingly aggressive foreign policy under Trump.
I'm getting really worried about this MAGA movement and their stance on war. It seems like they're all about flexing their military muscles and talking a big game, but when it comes down to it, most people aren't having it. The fact that only 33% of Americans approve of Trump's actions in Venezuela is huge – I think we can all agree that's not exactly a ringing endorsement! 
. I mean, who do they think they are, imposing their will on other countries and taking resources by force? It's just so... concerning.
. We need more people voicing their concerns and holding our leaders accountable. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from the fact that even some of Trump's most loyal supporters are backing off on this one... 
I mean, I know some people think we should be strong and powerful, but can't we just try to work with other countries instead of taking over their resources? 
. The MAGA movement's enthusiasm for war seems to be a double-edged sword – it brings power and influence, but also division and isolation 
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and now they're justifying it by saying the country needs us because of the oil lol what a joke 
and where are these republicans when it comes down to actually voting against this stuff? only 33% approve of trumps actions in venezuela? that's crazy low 
. And let's be real, oil is always the motivation behind these sorts of moves, right? 
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. I mean, who needs doctrine when you've got guns, tanks, and an army of MAGA supporters? 
But seriously, if they're going down this path, we should all be keeping a close eye on it 
. The fact that it's not sitting well with the American people is a good sign, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves - there are still plenty of Trump loyalists out there who'll follow him into battle 
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. And yeah, it's pretty clear that the GOP is just gonna keep following Trump's lead, even when it doesn't make sense to the general public. I'm not saying they're all brainwashed or anything, but... 
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...I remember when I was younger my dad used to talk about how he thought Bush and Obama were going to drag us into another Vietnam war, but you know what? He wasn't that far off 
. Trump's move on Venezuela just seems like more of the same - all hat and no cattle 
. I mean I get it, oil is a big deal, but can't we find a way to work with others instead of trying to muscle in? 
...and what's with these new folks like Miller who think we need to be all tough and stuff? 
it just feels like we're going back on the war path and I don't know if that's really America 
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The MAGA faithful are gonna be super disappointed when they realize that this whole "Donroe Doctrine" thing is just a bunch of empty rhetoric 
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. And now Trump is basically saying we're gonna go in there and show them who's boss... by force 
. But I guess when you've got a bunch of folks who are all about winning at all costs, that's just not an option anymore 
. And what's with all the oil talk? Like, we can't just take what we want because we feel like it? That's not how nations work 
. We can't have our president just making it up as he goes along 
.