The US government has been carrying out one of its most intense overseas military operations in decades, with a meticulously planned strike involving dozens of aircraft, helicopters breaching Caracas airspace, and elite special forces. President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown to New York, where they face conspiracy and drug trafficking charges.
Despite the operation's precision and success, the American public has responded with a lukewarm approval rating, with only 33% of people supporting the US removal of Maduro. This low level of support is unusual for new US military operations, which typically receive widespread backing. Instead, many Americans are expressing concerns about the US getting too involved in Venezuela.
Historically, Americans have given new conflicts more leeway, with high levels of public support for wars like the 2001 Afghanistan War and the 1991 Gulf War. However, today's polls show a sharp lack of faith from the very beginning of the war in Venezuela.
The Trump administration has been criticized for its response to the capture of Maduro, with some lawmakers describing the operation as "wildly illegal" and accusing the administration of lying about its actions. The president has responded by labeling critics as "weak, stupid people" and accusing them of being disloyal.
However, many Americans are rebelling against this kind of rhetoric and instead demanding transparency and accountability from their leaders. The exhaustion with pointless wars is palpable, particularly given the devastating consequences of US interventions in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.
The Intercept's editor-in-chief, Ben Mossig, notes that "force alone doesn't dismantle networks or actually protect Americans." Instead, it's the vigilance and skepticism of a public who demands answers from their leaders. The Intercept is fighting back against Trump's authoritarian takeover of the US government, but to do so effectively, they need the support of their readers.
The article concludes by highlighting the urgent need for independent journalism in this most perilous moment for democracy. To do so effectively, The Intercept needs to grow and expand its reporting capacity. As Ben Mossig says, "That's where you come in. Will you help us expand our reporting capacity in time to hit the ground running in 2026?"
Despite the operation's precision and success, the American public has responded with a lukewarm approval rating, with only 33% of people supporting the US removal of Maduro. This low level of support is unusual for new US military operations, which typically receive widespread backing. Instead, many Americans are expressing concerns about the US getting too involved in Venezuela.
Historically, Americans have given new conflicts more leeway, with high levels of public support for wars like the 2001 Afghanistan War and the 1991 Gulf War. However, today's polls show a sharp lack of faith from the very beginning of the war in Venezuela.
The Trump administration has been criticized for its response to the capture of Maduro, with some lawmakers describing the operation as "wildly illegal" and accusing the administration of lying about its actions. The president has responded by labeling critics as "weak, stupid people" and accusing them of being disloyal.
However, many Americans are rebelling against this kind of rhetoric and instead demanding transparency and accountability from their leaders. The exhaustion with pointless wars is palpable, particularly given the devastating consequences of US interventions in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.
The Intercept's editor-in-chief, Ben Mossig, notes that "force alone doesn't dismantle networks or actually protect Americans." Instead, it's the vigilance and skepticism of a public who demands answers from their leaders. The Intercept is fighting back against Trump's authoritarian takeover of the US government, but to do so effectively, they need the support of their readers.
The article concludes by highlighting the urgent need for independent journalism in this most perilous moment for democracy. To do so effectively, The Intercept needs to grow and expand its reporting capacity. As Ben Mossig says, "That's where you come in. Will you help us expand our reporting capacity in time to hit the ground running in 2026?"
. The precision and success of the strike seem impressive, but the lukewarm response from the American public is telling 
. I'm not surprised to see low support for the removal of Maduro, especially when considering the country's complex history and the devastating consequences of US interventions in the past 
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, as it showcases his authoritarian tendencies and disregard for accountability 
. The need for transparency and skepticism from the public is more important now than ever, particularly in this moment of democracy 
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. It's the vigilant public that demands answers from their leaders, and it's crucial that we support independent journalism like theirs 
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. Will 2026 bring about a new era of investigative journalism? Only time will tell 
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. And then there's this whole thing about the president calling people "weak" or "stupid"... that's not how you build a team, you know? 
It's all just so... complicated. I guess what I'm trying to say is, when are we gonna take a step back and think about what we really want for our country? Are we just gonna keep following the crowd, or do we need to start having some real conversations about what's going on 
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. I think what's missing here is some serious dialogue between all parties involved. We need to hear more from Maduro and his team about what they want for Venezuela, and then have a real discussion about how we can help without making things worse 
. Maybe instead of just bashing each other online, we should try to find common ground 
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I'm low-key freaking out about this whole Maduro thing 
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? "Weak, stupid people" indeed 
. This whole thing just feels like another example of the US getting its hands dirty in foreign affairs without thinking it through 
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. I mean, we need better journalism now more than ever 
i think that's because we've seen so many failed wars and interventions before. it's like we're playing catch up but not really doing a good job of learning from our mistakes. what i do know is that transparency and accountability are key, not just empty rhetoric 
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. It's time for us to demand better, not just a bunch of empty promises.
. We need more independent journalism like this, especially when it comes to holding those in power accountable. Fingers crossed that they can expand their reporting capacity and hit the ground running in 2026 
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