Well, well, well. Look who suddenly remembered there’s a dictator problem in our hemisphere — and look who’s throwing a fit about actually doing something about it.
The results of this new Reuters/Ipsos poll are a case study in political whiplash. President Donald Trump orders a decisive military operation — not a drone strike, not a “strongly worded letter,” but an actual boots-on-the-ground, handcuffs-on-the-tyrant mission — and Republicans overwhelmingly support it. Sixty-five percent say, “Yep, that’s how you do it.” Because, believe it or not, some of us still think drug-trafficking socialist despots who torture their own people and turn their oil-rich nations into food lines might warrant some attention.
Americans are divided over the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, though most are concerned about deeper involvement, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll https://t.co/9CdLGpEIZO pic.twitter.com/r5y9T1WOYW
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 6, 2026
But cue the dramatic gasps from the Left. Just 11% of Democrats backed the strike. Eleven. That’s the same percentage of Americans who still own VCRs. Apparently, if Trump’s name is on it, they’d oppose rescuing a kitten from a tree. You could show them video footage of Maduro counting bricks of cocaine with his cronies, and they’d say, “But is it culturally sensitive to remove him?”
Independents? They’re doing what Independents do — shrugging. Only 23% supported the strike, and 35% disapproved. The rest probably just forgot to check their email.
Of course, the media is clutching its pearls over Trump’s comment that the U.S. will “run” Venezuela. The man just captured a narco-dictator with zero American casualties and announced we might finally stop letting corrupt regimes run wild in our own backyard. But sure, let’s focus on tone. It’s funny how the same crowd that’s totally fine with open borders, international lawlessness, and a million migrants flooding into U.S. cities is now suddenly terrified of “overreach” in the Western Hemisphere. Spoiler alert: You can’t cry “America is weak” and then melt down when someone like Trump decides to flex.
Yes, 72% of those surveyed say they’re worried we’ll get too involved in Venezuela. Well, we could’ve asked that same group back in the Obama years if they thought pallets of cash to Iran was “too involved,” and they’d probably call it “diplomatic innovation.” This is what happens when foreign policy gets filtered through Instagram infographics and TikTok professors. The second a Republican takes action, it’s “imperialism.” When a Democrat drone bombs the Middle East and then holds a diversity panel, it’s “foreign policy leadership.”
Reuters/Ipsos – Trump Approval
🟢 Approve: 42% (+3)
🟤 Disapprove: 56% (-3)Was net -22 in Nov. vs -14 now
——
US military action to remove Maduro🟢 Approve: 33%
🟤 Disapprove: 34%
⚪ Not sure: 33%(+/- vs Dec. 15) | 1/4-5 | 1,248 Ahttps://t.co/82AAE4jQ1D pic.twitter.com/oXRU2RhGnG
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) January 5, 2026
What’s more interesting is the split inside the GOP. Sixty percent of Republicans are ready to send troops if necessary, but only 43% think the U.S. should dominate Western Hemisphere affairs. That’s not a contradiction — that’s called discernment. Believe it or not, you can support putting a thug like Maduro in handcuffs without signing up for a 20-year nation-building exercise. America First doesn’t mean America Ignores. It means smart, targeted moves that serve our interests, not the UN’s.
Tapper: This WAPO poll finds 42% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s Maduro operation.@ScottJenningsKY: “Well, also it’s Trump. I mean, 42% of the American people would oppose it if he cured cancer personally in the Oval Office tonight.”
“I mean, there is a reflexive opposition… pic.twitter.com/StuYbstzYv
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) January 5, 2026
And let’s not ignore the small boost in Trump’s approval rating. Up three points. That’s not a landslide, but considering every legacy outlet is screaming “dictator!” over his Venezuela comments, it’s a sign people are tired of the hand-wringing. They want results. They want strength. And they’re seeing it.
But go ahead, Democrats. Keep wringing your hands. Keep telling us how scary it is to arrest a socialist tyrant who’s poisoned his country. The rest of us will just be over here watching the world remember what American resolve looks like when it’s not filtered through committees and cocktail parties in Brussels.
Because when Trump says, “We’re in charge,” it’s not just a line — it’s a reminder that leadership, however imperfect, still beats letting thugs run the show.
