Trump faces MAGA rift over possible US role in war on Iran
4 Min Read
Trump’s MAGA base splits as major figures warn against deeper US involvement in the war on Iran.
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US President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
A sharp divide is emerging within Donald Trump’s MAGA base over the war on Iran, with some of the president’s most vocal allies, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, commentator Tucker Carlson, and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, openly questioning whether he is abandoning his “America First” foreign policy.
Following a week of deadly strikes and Trump’s abrupt departure from the G7 summit in Canada, these conservative voices are warning that a deeper US role in the Middle East could fracture the coalition that helped propel Trump to power.
Trump, who has long campaigned on non-interventionism, is now facing backlash from within his movement.
On X, Charlie Kirk wrote, “No issue currently divides the right as much as foreign policy,” adding that he feared a “massive split among MAGA” could disrupt their progress. He and others warned that any perception of Trump backing US military involvement could unravel his core message and political future.
60% don’t want America involved in war with Iran. https://t.co/7ZARGZQl26
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 17, 2025
Trump flew back to Washington unexpectedly this week amid rising tensions, and issued a dramatic social media warning, "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” claiming the US knows the location of Iran’s Leader Sayyed Khamenei, but does not intend to target him, "for now."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 17, 2025
These remarks have reignited speculation that Trump may support direct US military action, such as supplying "Israel" with bunker-buster bombs to target Iranian nuclear facilities. However, the State Department and US military have already ordered the voluntary evacuation of nonessential personnel from select diplomatic sites in the region.
Meanwhile, Senator Lindsey Graham is urging Trump to go further. "If that means providing bombs, provide bombs. If that means flying with Israel, fly with Israel," Graham said on Face the Nation, arguing that now is the moment for Trump to help eliminate Iran’s nuclear program.
MAGA figures accuse Trump of breaking his anti-war promise
Trump’s consideration of a broader US role is facing strong resistance from the same voices who once championed him as a disruptive force in US foreign policy.
Tucker Carlson, long a loyal supporter, warned that Trump is veering dangerously close to betraying the voters who backed him for staying out of foreign wars. "You’re not going to convince me that the Iranian people are my enemy," Carlson said on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast.
Carlson also aimed at pro-Trump media allies like Sean Hannity, challenging them to hold Trump accountable for his foreign policy stance. Trump responded to the criticism by calling Carlson “kooky” and reiterating that “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!”
Furthermore, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sided with Carlson, saying she shared his anti-interventionist principles. She posted, "Foreign wars, intervention, and regime change put America last, kill innocent people, make us broke, and lead to our destruction," adding that "That’s not kooky. That’s what millions of Americans voted for."
Everyone is finding out who are real America First/MAGA and who were fake and just said it bc it was popular.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) June 15, 2025
Unfortunately the list of fakes are becoming quite long and exposed themselves quickly.
Anyone slobbering for the U.S. to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war…
Kirk: MAGA youth voted for peace, not another war
Charlie Kirk, while still supportive of Trump, has echoed concerns about mission drift, noting that younger Trump voters were especially drawn to his record of avoiding new wars. "This is the moment that President Trump was elected for," Kirk said on Fox News. But later added: "There is historically little support for America to be actively engaged in yet another offensive war in the Middle East."
He continued, "The last thing America needs right now is a new war...Our number one desire must be peace, as quickly as possible."
In a similar event, in April, some MAGA-aligned podcasters expressed doubts about looming tariffs and market disruptions. Earlier, Trump criticized Biden’s decision to let Ukraine use US long-range weapons but stopped short of advocating a full aid cutoff, another move that drew rebukes from his isolationist flank.
While these disputes have not derailed Trump’s base, the war on Iran marks one of the clearest tests of whether his coalition can stay united if he edges closer to military engagement abroad
