President Trump speaks to the press as workers install a large flag pole on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on June 18, 2025.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
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Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
As hostilities between Iran and Israel escalate and President Trump raises the possibility of U.S. military involvement in the conflict, some of his influential supporters online are publicly disagreeing with him, a rare occurrence in the pro-Trump media sphere.
A day after Israel launched its attack on Iran, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson wrote a newsletter titled “An Act of War, Sponsored by the United States” and talked about his objections with former Trump advisor Steve Bannon on Bannon’s War Room podcast.
Trump fired back at Carlson on Monday evening, writing on Truth Social: “Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that,” IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!””
Since then, multiple pro-Trump influencers defended Carlson and publicly disagreed with Trump over the issue.
“Donald Trump just completely fractured his base. Truly unbelievable,” wrote commentator Candace Owens on X less than an hour after Trump’s post.
One of Trump’s closest congressional allies, Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., also quickly came to Carlson’s defense.
“Tucker Carlson is one of my favorite people.” she posted on X. “Foreign wars/intervention/regime change put America last, kill innocent people, are making us broke, and will ultimately lead to our destruction. That’s not kooky.”
InfoWars host Alex Jones, who has a history of spreading conspiracy theories, posted later in the evening: “Trump attacking @TuckerCarlson for not supporting a new WORLD WAR is not something any sane person should support! This is the stuff NIGHTMARES are MADE of…”
“They’re playing out the battle in the way based on the positions they’ve advocated for for ages,” said Daniel Silverman, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University whose research includes how information travels during conflicts. “Tucker [Carlson]’s been very consistent on not picking fights with Iran back to the first Trump administration…It is notable that they’re doing it so openly.”
Initial polling suggests that many Americans have concerns about the U.S. militarily engaging with Iran. A weekly YouGov/Economist poll published Tuesday found that 60% of Americans across the political spectrum don’t think the US military should be involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
In the House, representatives from both parties including Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., are seeking to require the president to get congressional approval before military intervention in the conflict. Lawmakers attempted a similar move during the first Trump administration but failed to overcome the president’s veto power. However, some right-wing social media influencers are in support of Trump’s actions.
Laura Loomer, a close activist to Trump, stated, “America First is whatever President Trump says it is.” Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk, who spearheaded Trump’s canvassing efforts during the election, expressed his trust in Trump by saying, “Moments like this I have full and complete trust in President Trump.”
On the other hand, Jack Posobiec, a prominent far-right influencer, tried to promote unity by warning against regime change wars that could disrupt the MAGA Coalition. He also suggested that Trump’s rhetoric could be strategically used to further his domestic agenda.
Vice President JD Vance assured the public that Trump’s military actions were in line with the goals of the American people. Despite the support from high-profile social media figures, major right-wing news sites and opinion pages have overwhelmingly backed the U.S.’s support for Israel.
Howard Polskin, the founder of The Righting, a website that monitors right-wing media, noted that the right-wing media portrays Trump as a powerful figure influencing not only the U.S. but also the fate of Israel and Iran.
While the right-wing media has shown support for Trump’s actions, discussions on the possibility of troops on the ground have not been prominent yet. It is anticipated that more coverage on this topic may emerge in the coming days.
Shortly after Vance’s statement, Trump’s rhetoric intensified on Truth Social, where he claimed to know the whereabouts of the ‘Supreme Leader’ and demanded “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
