Trump's Military Use in Other Countries Tests His MAGA Base
Members of the US Navy react to US President Donald Trump during the US Navy's 250th anniversary at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia on Oct. 5.
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/BloombergNine months into his second term, President Donald Trump has bombed Iran’s nuclear program, struck Houthi rebels in Yemen and killed dozens of alleged narco-terrorists in Venezuela. Over the weekend, he threatened to send US troops “guns-a-blazing” to Nigeria to stop the killing of Christians.
As Trump hails his peacemaking credentials, the White House has framed the attacks as targeted military operations and other forms of pressure aimed at protecting US interests — stemming immigration flows, countering drug trafficking, and even preserving what they see as Western culture. But they’re also prompting an outcry among some mainstream Republicans and even some of his most ardent supporters, including Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson.