U.S. President Donald Trump hinted at military intervention in Iran, and opinions are divided even among his fervent supporters in the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement. From the U.S. perspective, preventing Iran's nuclear development would be beneficial for stability in the Middle East, but there is a nearly 20-year trauma built up since the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq in 2003.
According to major foreign news reports on the 18th (local time), concerns are emerging within MAGA that supporting Israel against Iran may be excessive. Tucker Carlson, a conservative journalist and former Fox News anchor, recently said, "Trump is being drawn into another Middle Eastern war under the influence of Israel," while Steve Bannon, a former chief strategist in the White House referred to as "Trump's guru," stated, "We don't want any more 'endless wars.'"
There are also voices of opposition among Republican lawmakers. Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, remarked, "Diplomacy is about restraint. The president has shown restraint in the past," adding, "I hope the president will not involve himself in war." In the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican Thomas Massie and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna jointly proposed a "war powers resolution" to prevent U.S. military involvement in the conflict without congressional approval.
The reason for the opposing opinions within MAGA is that military intervention in Iran contradicts the Trump administration's foreign and security policy of minimizing external involvement. President Trump has opposed deploying U.S. resources abroad, criticizing the "Middle Eastern conflict" since his first presidential run, drawing in voters with this stance. Moreover, Trump remarked in 2016 that the "Iraq War was a big mistake," targeting Americans' "Iraq trauma."
The BBC reported, "Many who support Trump's 'America First' agenda pointed out that he pledged not to engage in the 'endless wars' that cost thousands of U.S. soldiers' lives in Afghanistan and Iraq." According to a survey by The Economist and YouGov on the 17th, 60% of respondents stated that U.S. military intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict should not occur, with 53% of Republican supporters opposing military involvement.
As opposition grew stronger, the White House stepped in to quell the unrest. Vice President J.D. Vance stated on social media that it's reasonable for people to worry about the foolish diplomatic policies of the past 25 years, but he believes that "the president has gained some trust on this issue." The Washington Post (WP) interpreted Vance's remarks as a sign that the White House feels the need to convince Trump's supporters who are angry about the possibility of military action.
Of course, there are also proponents. The argument is based on the idea that supporting Israel can topple the Iranian regime and completely halt nuclear development. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican, stated, "We must provide bombs and fighter jets to Israel to bring down the Iranian regime." He affirmed, "President Trump knows that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (the Supreme Leader of Iran) poses a threat not only to Israel but to the U.S. as well, and ultimately he will aid Israel."
There are assessments that the controversy over U.S. military intervention could become a "turning point" for the MAGA movement. A former senior Department of Defense official who requested anonymity told WP, "I think this is a turning point for the America First movement," adding that many involved in the MAGA movement, who invested significantly in electing Trump and Vance, would be tremendously disappointed if this escalates into a larger war, which could lead to some division.
A former government official who reported the growing anger towards Israel within MAGA stated, "The key issue for the political right now is Iran. It's not trade, it's not expenditure, and it's not even a culture war. What is important now is foreign policy, especially Iran." U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch Trump supporter, said, "Anyone who claims that the U.S. should be fully involved in the Israel-Iran war is not MAGA."
The Financial Times (FT) noted that "As President Trump shows a favorable attitude toward U.S. military involvement in Iran, deep-seated divisions within the MAGA movement are being revealed," and assessed that "if the war goes poorly, harsh criticisms will abound, and Iran could be an issue that collapses the MAGA movement."