A schism has opened among President most devout MAGA supporters and national security conservatives over the , as some longtime defenders of the president's America First mantra call him out for weighing in the region.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, commentator Tucker Carlson and conservative firebrand Charlie Kirk 鈥� with legions of their own devoted followers 鈥� are reminding audiences of Trump's 2024 promises to resist overseas military involvement after a week of deadly strikes and counterstrikes between Israel and Iran, and discussion of U.S. involvement.
On social media and their popular airwaves, questions about Trump鈥檚 stance from these central validating voices are exposing a crack in his forward guard. They are also warning that the schism could deter progress on other priorities.
鈥淣o issue currently divides the right as much as foreign policy,鈥� Kirk wrote on X, adding he was 鈥渧ery concerned鈥� that a massive split among MAGA could 鈥渄isrupt our momentum and our insanely successful Presidency.鈥�
The State Department and U.S. military last week of nonessential personnel and their loved ones from some U.S. diplomatic outposts in the Middle East.
Trump on Monday this week's G7 Summit in Canada due to the intensifying conflict, returning to Washington for urgent talks with his national security team. He also posted an that 鈥淓veryone should immediately evacuate Tehran!鈥�
The moves sparked new speculation from his isolationist devotees that the U.S. might be deepening its involvement, perhaps by providing the Israelis with to penetrate Iranian nuclear sites or offering other direct U.S. military support.
Other strong Trump backers, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are making the case that this is Trump鈥檚 moment to deliver a decisive blow against Iran. Graham is calling for Trump to 鈥済o all-in鈥� in backing Israel and destroying Iran鈥檚 nuclear program.
鈥淚f that means providing bombs, provide bombs,鈥� he said Sunday on CBS鈥檚 鈥淔ace the Nation.鈥� 鈥淚f that means flying with Israel, fly with Israel.鈥�
Should the U.S. wade into a war in the Middle East, Trump would begin unraveling his own political base, built on ending foreign entanglements, curbing illegal immigration and reducing the trade deficit, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon said Monday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to not just blow up the coalition,鈥� Bannon said on Tucker Carlson鈥檚 show. 鈥淚t's also going to thwart what we鈥檙e doing with the most important thing, which is the deportation鈥� of immigrants in the U.S. illegally.
Any option comes with political risk for Trump, who, as he returned to Washington, expressed exasperation at Iranian leaders' failure to reach an agreement.
鈥淭hey should have done the deal. I told them, 鈥楧o the deal,鈥欌�� he told reporters on Air Force One. 鈥淪o I don鈥檛 know. I鈥檓 not too much in the mood to negotiate.鈥�
On Tuesday, Trump said on social media that the U.S. knows where Iran鈥檚 Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hiding during the conflict but doesn鈥檛 want him killed 鈥渇or now.鈥� He also called for Iran鈥檚 鈥淯NCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.鈥�
A look at what some of Trump's top MAGA-world backers are saying:
Tucker Carlson
On Monday, Carlson's increasingly critical rhetoric toward Trump reached a new level, as the longtime supporter who headlined large rallies with Trump during the 2024 campaign suggested Trump's posture was breaking his pledge to keep the United States out of new foreign entanglements.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to convince me that the Iranian people are my enemy,鈥� Carlson said as a guest on 鈥淲ar Room,鈥� the podcast led by 2016 Trump campaign adviser Steve Bannon. 鈥淚t鈥檚 Orwell, man. I鈥檓 a free man. You鈥檙e not telling me who I have to hate.鈥�
Carlson posted to X that same day his call to challenge other Trump media supporters like Sean Hannity and Mark Levin to push the president to uphold his campaign pledge.
Trump has bristled at the criticism, posting on social media, 鈥淪omebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that,鈥� IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!鈥欌��
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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene
The Georgia Republican 鈥� the epitome of MAGA, sporting the signature red cap for President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union address 鈥� has publicly sided with Carlson, directly calling out Trump for deriding 鈥渙ne of my favorite people.鈥�
Saying the former Fox 蜜桃视频app commentator 鈥渦napologetically believes the same things I do,鈥� Greene wrote on X Monday night that those beliefs include that 鈥渇oreign wars/intervention/regime change put America last, kill innocent people, are making us broke, and will ultimately lead to our destruction.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not kooky,鈥� Greene added, using the same word Trump used to describe Carlson. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what millions of Americans voted for. It鈥檚 what we believe is America First.鈥�
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Charlie Kirk
The founder of Turning Point USA has been generally supportive of Trump, saying Monday in an interview with Fox 蜜桃视频app that 鈥渢his is the moment that President Trump was elected for,鈥� but he's also warned of a potential MAGA divide over Iran since last week.
Days later, Kirk said, 鈥淭rump voters, especially young people, supported President Trump because he was the first president in my lifetime to not start a new war.鈥� He also wrote that 鈥渢here is historically little support for America to be actively engaged in yet another offensive war in the Middle East. We must work for and pray for peace.鈥�
That same day, Kirk noted, 鈥淭he last thing America needs right now is a new war. Our number one desire must be peace, as quickly as possible.鈥�
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There have been other divides
The evolving situation surrounding Iran isn鈥檛 the first time Trump and some of his base have diverged, and it's possible the current tension is more of a disagreement than a breakup between the president and the MAGA faithful.
In April, some thought leaders and influential podcasters who backed Trump鈥檚 campaign as global markets buckled under the pressure of impending tariffs.
Trump has been critical of U.S. support for Ukraine, in December calling Biden鈥檚 decision to allow Ukrainian forces to use American long-range weapons 鈥渁 very stupid thing to do.鈥� But Trump stopped short of cutting off all funding, something for which other allies, including Carlson, have advocated.
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Kinnard can be reached at
Meg Kinnard And Thomas Beaumont, The Associated Press
