Trump faces uproar from MAGA base over possible Iran strike

The prospect of a U.S. strike against Iran has exposed divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought President Donald Trump to power, with some of his base urging him not to get the country involved in a new Middle East war.

Some of Trump's most prominent Republican allies, including top lieutenant Steve Bannon, have found themselves in the unusual position of being at odds with a president who largely shares their isolationist tendencies.

The criticism shows the opposition Trump could face from his right-leaning "Make America Great Again" flank should he join the fight, a step that Iran has warned would have big consequences for Americans without specifying what that might be.

"There are big questions to it, just not just about, well, is this a smart move for us to get militarily involved, but what is it going to get us caught up in," said Political Science Professor William Howell.

A decision by Trump to enter the conflict would be a sharp departure from his usual caution about foreign entanglements. It could affect his campaign to foster good relations in the Gulf and could be a distraction from his efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine and make tariff deals with countries around the world.

The MAGA coalition propelled Trump into office in the 2016 and 2024 elections and remains critically important to him even though he is prevented by the U.S. Constitution from running for a third term.

Upsetting that base could erode Trump's popularity and factor into whether Republicans hang on to control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.

 Asked about the rift on Wednesday (June 18), Trump appeared unconcerned that some in his base could be turning their backs on him, at least on this issue.

Bannon on Wednesday said "the Israelis need to finish what they started" and that Trump should slow down deliberations over U.S. involvement and explain his decision-making.

Other influential MAGA voices with similar messages of worry include former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson and U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and longtime Trump ally.

"Anyone slobbering for the U.S. to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA," Greene said in a social media post on Sunday. "We are sick and tired of foreign wars. All of them."

But another Trump ally, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said on Fox News on Tuesday (June 17) that he hopes Trump will help Israel "finish the job" because Iran represents "an existential threat to our friends in Israel."

Vice President JD Vance tried to tamp down talk of a rift on Monday (June 16) with a social media post defending the president.

  (Production: Eva Weininger, Tom Rowe)