How the MAGA elite became pro-foreign intervention

Until recently, MAGA-ites had a clear message about US involvement in foreign affairs: their man Donald Trump would put an end to overseas military adventures by country-club Republicans like the Bushes and their ilk.

“We’ve spent the last 25 years bringing ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’ to countries around the globe while our own country has been systematically invaded and now our largest cities are run by foreigners and communists,” wrote political commentator, podcast host and Trump fanboy Matt Walsh on, inevitably, X last June. “If you want to know why I’m so avowedly non-interventionist, this is why.”

Presumably, then, Walsh felt cheated when Trump bombed the Venezuelan capital before sending in special troops to kidnap the country’s president? Er, no. “First of all, the ‘war’ lasted like 90 minutes,” he wrote. “Second, going to war to secure vital resources for your own people is totally legitimate. Why should we allow some third world communist shithole to control trillions of dollars worth of oil?”. Which all sounds a bit like many Republicans’ justification for the invasion of Iraq in 2003, except they at least said it quietly.

Meanwhile, what say Laura Loomer, far right activist, conspiracist fruitloop and supposed ‘Trump whisperer’? “I’m America First, I don’t support ‘Regime Change’,” she wrote last year utilising her hero’s random capitalisations.

And now? “Maduro has arrived at the DEA office in Manhattan,” she wrote after his arrest. “He was transported in an armoured motorcade after being transported in a blindfold & then by plane to New York after his compound in Caracas was raided by US Special Forces. Proud to be an American today! USA,” she added with an American flag emoji.

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Rats in a Sack

Internet troll Phillip Buchanan, another conspiracist and MAGA favourite with almost four million followers on X, had previously urged them to “name one U.S. inspired regime change that hasn’t ended in absolute disaster”. Happily, after the weekend’s shock-and-awe operation in Caracas, he’s found one. “Venezuela is more free than New York City,” he cheered.

Another about-turn came from Will Chamberlain, owner and editor-in-chief of hard right website Human Events. As far back as 2020, he asserted that “the Republican Party is no longer the party of regime change and endless wars. If you want to be its standard bearer that is a non-negotiable position.” Now, though, it turns out it is rather negotiable indeed.

“I can think of few better uses of my tax dollars than black-bagging the head of a foreign narco-trafficking organization that enriches itself by addicting and poisoning my fellow Americans,” he wrote.

But is the most spectacular u-turn that of Stephen Miller? Back in November 2024, ahead of the presidential election, he wrote on X: “This isn’t complicated. If you vote for Kamala, Liz Cheney becomes defense secretary. We invade a dozen countries. Boys in Michigan are drafted to fight boys in the Middle East. Millions die. We invade Russia. We invade nations in Asia. World War III. Nuclear winter.”

Now thirsty TV presenter Pete Hegseth is war secretary, Stephen Miller is deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor, the US carried out military attacks against a total of seven countries in 2025 and has now invaded Venezuela.

And Miller’s after more! “Nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,” he said on December 6 after being asked repeatedly whether he would rule out using military force to take the Danish territory. “We live in a world, in the real world… that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power.” Those boys in Michigan better wrap up warm…