Amidst uncertainty regarding a potential US strike on Iran, Donald Trump has dismissed suggestions that his support base is wavering. He addressed concerns about a potential divide between his staunch supporters and more traditional national security conservatives.
“My supporters are more in love with me today, and I’m more in love with them, more than they even were at election time where we had a total landslide,” the president told reporters at a White House event marking the erection of a new flagpole.
“I may have some people that are a little bit unhappy now, but I have some people that are very happy, and I have people outside of the base that can’t believe that this is happening, they’re so happy,” he said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed legislators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday that the Pentagon is presenting Mr. Trump with options concerning Iran, but declined to comment on possible military assistance to Israeli strikes.
“I may do it, I may not do it,” Mr Trump said Wednesday. “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
Some long-time proponents of his “America First” approach are criticizing him for contemplating a larger US role in the Israel-Iran conflict following recent escalations. These critics are reminding their audiences of Trump’s 2024 promises to refrain from foreign military interventions.
Steve Bannon, a senior advisor during Trump’s 2016 campaign, told an audience in Washington that disillusionment with the Iraq War fueled Trump’s initial presidential bid and the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement, emphasizing its core principle of “no forever wars.”
However, Bannon – a loyal Trump ally who recently served a four-month sentence for defying a subpoena related to the January 6th Capitol attack investigation – suggested that Trump’s base will ultimately remain loyal. He acknowledged that while he and others would oppose military intervention, “the Maga movement will back Trump”.
Bannon stated that Mr. Trump would need to convince the American people to justify any involvement in Iran, which he hasn’t yet done.
“We don’t like it. Maybe we hate it,” Bannon said, predicting the MAGA reaction. “But, you know, we’ll get on board.”
Alex Jones, the right-wing conspiracy theorist and Infowars host, posted a side-by-side comparison on Wednesday of Trump’s official presidential portrait and an AI-generated image merging Trump and former President George W. Bush, whom Trump and allies have frequently criticized for involving the US in “forever wars” in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Above Trump’s image, Jones wrote “What you voted for,” and above the composite, “What you got,” adding, “I hope this is not the case.”
Tucker Carlson’s commentary regarding Trump has become increasingly critical. The long-time supporter, who co-headlined rallies with Trump during the 2024 campaign, recently suggested the president’s strategy violates his pledge to avoid new foreign entanglements. Trump responded on social media by calling Carlson “kooky.”
During an event at the White House later on Wednesday, the president said Carlson had “called and apologised”, adding that Carlson “is a nice guy”.
Carlson’s Wednesday conversation with Republican Senator Ted Cruz highlighted divisions among Republicans. The two debated for two hours on various issues, particularly potential US involvement in Iran, with Carlson accusing Cruz of prioritizing Israel’s security in his foreign policy.
“You don’t know anything about Iran,” Carlson said after the senator admitted he did not know Iran’s population or ethnic diversity. “You’re a senator who’s calling for the overthrow of a government, and you don’t know anything about the country.”
