A potential attack on Iran exposes divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought Donald Trump to power
Washington: With some of his backers imploring him not to plunge the nation into another Middle East conflict, the possibility of a U.S. attack on Iran has revealed rifts in the coalition of supporters that elected President Donald Trump.
Top lieutenant Steve Bannon is among Trump’s most well-known Republican friends who have found themselves in the peculiar situation of disagreeing with a president who essentially shares their isolationist views.
In the absence of a diplomatic agreement, Bannon, one of many prominent figures from Trump’s “America First” alliance, cautioned on Wednesday about the U.S. military joining Israel in attempting to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program.
“We can’t do this again,” Bannon told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor-sponsored event in Washington. “We’ll destroy the nation. Iraq cannot happen again.
The Republican Party’s anti-interventionist faction is alarmed by Trump’s rapid shift from calling for a diplomatic and peaceful agreement with Iran to potentially enlisting the US to back Israel’s military operation, which includes the deployment of a 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bomb.
Iran has warned that joining the conflict would have serious repercussions for Americans, but it has not specified what those repercussions may be. The critique highlights the resistance Trump might have from his right-leaning “Make America Great Again” side should he do so.
Trump’s choice to join the war would be a dramatic shift from his customary reluctance to get involved in international affairs. It may have an effect on his quest to promote goodwill in the Gulf and divert attention from his attempts to negotiate a settlement to the conflict in Ukraine and negotiate trade agreements with nations worldwide.
Although the U.S. Constitution prohibits Trump from seeking a third term, the MAGA coalition helped drive him into office in 2016 and 2024 and continues to play a vital role in his campaign.
Trump’s popularity might be damaged by upsetting that base, which could also affect whether Republicans maintain control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.
A ‘NUCLEAR WEAPON’ IS NOT DUE TO IRAN
Trump seemed unconcerned that some members of his base could be abandoning him, at least on this topic, when he was questioned about the gap on Wednesday.
At the White House, Trump told reporters, “My supporters are more in love with me today, and I’m in love with them more than they were even at election time.” “I only want one thing: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
He said that although some of his fans “are a little bit unhappy now,” others share his belief that Iran cannot get nuclear weapons.
“I have no intention of fighting.” But you have to do what you have to do if it’s between them fighting or having a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Trump’s legislative director during his first term, Marc Short, a former vice president Mike Pence friend, described the Iran dispute as a “pretty large rift.” But he added he believed Trump’s supporters will stick with him in spite of the disagreements.
“The divisions are obviously coming out in the open in this moment, but ultimately I think that most of the president’s followers are loyal to him more so than any worldview,” he said.
According to Short, supporting Israel may also benefit Trump politically. Conservative voters have always supported standing by Israel. According to a March Reuters/Ipsos survey, 48% of Republicans agreed with the statement that the United States should use its military might to protect Israel against threats, regardless of the source, while 28% disagreed. 52% of Democrats disagreed, while 25% agreed.
Israel thinks it would be in danger because, despite Tehran’s protestations, international analysts think Iran has been determined to create a nuclear weapon. According to U.S. sources, a nuclear arms race in the Middle East would start if Iran had an atomic bomb.
ISRAELIS MUST DO THE JOB
The presenter of the well-known “War Room” podcast, Bannon, said that “the Israelis need to finish what they started” and that Trump needs to take his time discussing U.S. engagement and provide an explanation for his choices.
“With 92 million inhabitants, this is among the oldest civilizations on the planet. You should not fool around with this. The American people must support this, and you must consider it at this level. He added, “You can’t just throw this at them.”
U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia and a longtime Trump admirer, and former Fox News Channel star Tucker Carlson are two more prominent MAGA voices who have similar messages of concern.
Greene posted on social media on Sunday, saying, “Anyone slobbering for the U.S. to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA.” ” We have had enough of conflicts abroad. Every one of them.
However, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, another Trump supporter, said on Fox News Tuesday that he believes Trump would assist Israel in “finishing the job,” since Iran poses “an existential threat to our friends in Israel.”
When Carlson battled with Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz late Tuesday on his live show, the gap was clearly visible.
An excerpt from Carlson’s discussion with Cruz went viral, in which Cruz expressed support for the president and Carlson harshly criticized the senator for trying to overthrow the Iranian system.
“You don’t know anything about Iran!” Carlson informed Cruz.
“I am not the Tucker Carlson expert on Iran,” Cruz said.
Carlson shot back, “You’re a senator who’s calling for the overthrow of the government.”
Vice President JD Vance posted a defense of the president on social media on Monday in an attempt to quell rumors of a schism.
“After 25 years of foolish foreign policy, people have good reason to be concerned about foreign entanglement. However, I think the president has gained some credibility on this matter,” he said.
Opponents and friends are still awaiting Trump’s decision-making process. On Wednesday afternoon, the president said that although he had some thoughts on how to go forward, he had not yet made a decision.