President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Monday, where he announced a U.S. airstrike on a land-based facility in Venezuela linked to drug trafficking, declared full support for potential Israeli strikes on Iran, and warned Hamas that failure to disarm would result in "hell to pay."

The meeting, which presented a united front between the two leaders despite past tensions, also included discussions on the Gaza ceasefire, the West Bank, and regional stability, with Trump asserting that the U.S. would back Israeli military action against Iran if it continued its nuclear and missile programs.

Trump revealed that the U.S. had "knocked out" a "big facility" in Venezuela where drugs were allegedly loaded onto boats, describing a "major explosion in the dock area" and confirming that the site was no longer operational.

Pentagon officials confirmed a U.S. military strike in the eastern Pacific that killed two individuals accused of narcotics trafficking, bringing the total death toll in the U.S. campaign to at least 107 since early September. This marks the first known land attack in Venezuela under the Trump administration’s intensified campaign against drug trafficking.

The U.S. has deployed over 15,000 troops and a dozen warships in the Caribbean, and recently imposed a partial blockade on Venezuelan oil tankers to pressure President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump affirmed that the United States would back Israeli military action against Iran if it continued developing ballistic missiles or a nuclear weapon, stating he had heard Iran was behaving badly and looking to restart its nuclear program. The announcement came as Netanyahu briefed Trump on possible new strikes in Iran, with Israeli officials indicating the U.S. could be involved.

Trump emphasized that Hamas must disarm within a "very short period of time" or face severe consequences, declaring there would be "hell to pay" if they failed to comply. He claimed the ceasefire was largely due to his efforts. The second phase of the 20-point peace plan hinges on Hamas disarming and Israel withdrawing its forces, though implementation remains challenging.

During a joint press conference, Trump praised Netanyahu as Israel’s savior and said he would support any Israeli action against Iran. Netanyahu, in turn, awarded Trump the Israel Prize, the country’s highest civilian honor, a first for a non-Israeli.

The visit marked Netanyahu’s fifth meeting with Trump in 2025, signaling a strategic alignment despite prior disagreements over Gaza and Syria.

Trump is facing online backlash from his MAGA supporters following Netanyahu's fifth visit, and concerns over his hardline stance on Iran and the strike on a facility in Venezuela.

And despite the strong public display of unity, some Trump aides and allies have reportedly grown frustrated with Netanyahu’s perceived delays in advancing the Gaza ceasefire.

Critics argue that Trump’s alignment with Netanyahu and his threats of further military action against Iran contradict his "America First" rhetoric and risk escalating regional conflicts. They warn that further Middle East military engagements could destabilize U.S. interests and divert focus from domestic priorities.

Some MAGA supporters question the transparency and justification of the action in Venezuela which was reportedly carried out by the CIA, especially given the administration’s stated shift toward focusing on the Western Hemisphere.

While Trump maintains strong support among pro-Israel factions, growing dissent is emerging from within the MAGA movement, particularly over perceived overreach in foreign policy and the potential for new wars. Critics, including figures like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and commentator Tucker Carlson, have expressed concern about the risks of prolonged Middle East involvement.

Russia accused Ukraine of launching a large-scale drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region on the night Sunday, claiming that 91 long-range drones were intercepted by Russian air defenses with no injuries or damage reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Ukraine launched a "terrorist attack" using 91 long-range drones targeting Putin’s residence which he said was destroyed by air defenses. Lavrov claimed the attack amounted to "state terrorism" and that Russia would review its negotiating stance, though it would not exit talks. He also said retaliatory strikes were planned, with targets already selected.

The allegations surfaced just days after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida, where they discussed a potential peace deal, with Trump saying they were "very close" to an agreement.

Zelenskyy dismissed the allegations as a "lie" intended to undermine ongoing peace negotiations and justify further Russian military actions, including potential strikes on Kyiv.

The claim emerged amid high-stakes diplomatic efforts, including a recent meeting between Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump, who later spoke with Putin, describing the call as "positive."

Zelenskyy called the accusation a "complete fabrication" and a deliberate attempt to derail peace efforts, accusing Moscow of preparing to strike government buildings in Kyiv.

Ukrainian officials, including Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, labeled the claim a "fabrication" meant to create a pretext for more attacks and urged world leaders to condemn Russia.

Putin reportedly informed Trump during a phone call that Russia would review its position in peace negotiations following the alleged attack. Russia also intensified its military push in Ukraine, ordering forces to advance toward the Zaporizhzhia region, where Russian troops were reported to be 15 km from the city.

This is not the first time Ukrainian drones have targeted locations linked to Putin. In May 2023, a drone struck the Kremlin roof during a broader attack on Moscow, which Russian officials described as an assassination attempt.

American journalist and commentator Tucker Carlson has intensified his criticism of U.S. support for Israel, calling it a "strategic liability" and asserting that the Israeli government and its allies in the United States are orchestrating a campaign to promote fears of "radical Islam" as a distraction from its own actions.

In a recent interview with Harrison Berger of The American Conservative, Carlson dismissed the idea that radical Islam poses a significant threat to Americans, claiming he knows no one in the U.S. killed by radical Islam in the past 24 years, and instead highlighted domestic issues like drug overdoses, unemployment, and the influence of OnlyFans pornography and video games as greater dangers.

Carlson condemned the concept of collective punishment, arguing that it contradicts Western values and is a hallmark of non-Western thinking, while accusing pro-Israel figures of promoting a "brain virus" of loyalty that overrides American interests.

The popular conservative commentator said that the sentiment that "radical Islam" is the greatest threat to America, as reflected in a Turning Point USA poll, originates from the Israeli government and its "many defenders and informal employees" in the U.S., framing it as a deliberate operation to manipulate American discourse.

Carlson argued that the U.S. is being drawn into an "ancient ethnic conflict" involving Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, and Hindus, which he believes distorts American society and foreign policy, and declared that "everyone involved can go home immediately."

He emphasized his personal observations, stating he has never taken money from a Muslim and has traveled extensively, asserting that the idea that all Muslims are terrorists is ignorant and disconnected from reality.

Carlson criticized the notion of defending "Western civilization" as a justification for supporting Israel, arguing that the core Western principle is the individual human soul and the rejection of collective punishment, which he believes is violated in actions like those in Gaza.

The popular commentator argued that Israel does not matter strategically, calling it small and lacking important resources, and labeled it a liability rather than an ally, a stance that contradicts mainstream neoconservative Republican foreign policy.

Carlson's remarks have sparked a significant reactions within the conservative movement, with figures like Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene expressing support, while others, including neoconservative senator Ted Cruz and U.S Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, have strongly criticized him, with Cruz accusing him of becoming "Nick Fuentes."

"No matter how hard the GOP tries to make 'radical Islam' happen, the base doesn’t care about it," popular conservative commentator Candace Owens declared on X. "We are way more concerned about Israel. You can deny reality and scream about Tucker, but the party can no longer be governed by those who refuse to acknowledge the Zionist elephant in the room. I’m just trying to spare you guys the inevitable billion dollar “ISIS is coming” digital campaign, wherein a bunch of online influencers will suddenly pretend they are deeply concerned about the threat of radical Islam. Our concerns about the Middle East begin with the Israeli occupation of D.C. Hope this helps."

The interview, which also touched on identity politics and Islamophobia, was part of a broader shift in Carlson’s public stance since leaving Fox News, where he has increasingly expressed more anti-war and 'America First' views. He has in the past urged the U.S. to "drop Israel" and stop supporting its military actions.

Carlson's supporters see his critique as a necessary challenge to what they view as a corrupt alliance between U.S. conservatives and Israel, particularly Christian Zionists.

The debate reflects a broader ideological rift within the Republican Party over foreign policy, with Carlson’s position representing a growing faction that prioritizes American sovereignty over unconditional support for Israel.