Trump leaves Venezuela out of National Address, Thank Dissident MAGA!

In his televised speech to the nation on December 17th, many around the world expected Trump to make some kind of announcement about a new war or attacks on Venezuela. Tucker Carlson had circulated claims that members of Congress had been briefed that such an announcement would occur. However, in his 23-minute speech, Trump did not mention Venezuela at all. Instead, early in his remarks, he emphasized that he was providing a sizable holiday bonus check to members of the U.S. armed services and proceeded to defend his administration’s economic record.

Caleb Maupin, founder and director of the Center for Political Innovation (CPI), said this omission was clearly due to the fact that many people within Trump’s own camp disapprove of launching a new war. “Dissident MAGA” figures such as Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Rand Paul, and Thomas Massie have spoken out forcefully against a war with Venezuela and have denounced Trump’s illegal sinking of boats based on questionable claims of drug trafficking. “Trump knew that using his national address to announce a new war or justify meddling in Latin America would not go over with his base,” Caleb explained, “They voted for him because he promised to end the wars.”

Caleb delivered a response to Trump’s speech lasting roughly an hour, outlining how disappointing Trump’s administration has been while also explaining why Dissident MAGA is so important in pushing the White House away from new wars and toward ending the conflict in Ukraine. Maupin specifically criticized the misleadership of the “Hands Off Venezuela” protests, arguing that organizers have refused to bring in Dissident MAGA voices and have instead turned the protests into expressions of left-wing anti-Trump hysteria. “The last people Trump will ever listen to are people screaming about ICE and calling him a fascist,” Maupin noted.

Watch CPI Director Caleb Maupin’s response to Trump’s speech: