'Drop Israel': How military escalation with Iran divides Trump's key MAGA members

Several conservatives have raised concerns about Israel's recent strikes, warning that the United States must not be drawn into a war that does not align with its national interests.

Tucker Carlson, a conservative commentator and prominent voice in Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement, criticised the US for supporting what he called the "war-hungry government" of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"If Israel wants to wage this war, it has every right to do so. It is a sovereign country and can act as it sees fit. But not with America's backing," Carlson wrote in a newsletter on Friday.

He warned that a war with Iran could either "fuel the next generation of terrorism" or result in the deaths of thousands of Americans for a foreign agenda.

"Neither of those outcomes would benefit the United States," the newsletter said. "There is another option: drop Israel. Let them fight their own wars."

Republican Senator Rand Paul also voiced opposition to a potential war with Iran, criticising the hawkish neoconservatives in Washington.

"The American people overwhelmingly oppose our endless wars, and they showed that when they voted for Donald Trump in 2024," Paul wrote on social media. 

"I urge President Trump to stay the course, keep putting America first, and avoid getting involved in another foreign war."

Senator Rand Paul advised Trump to stay the course on diplomacy and avoid getting dragged into a foreign war .

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene Posted on X, "I'm praying for peace. Peace," signaling her opposition to further escalation. 

After being sworn in for his second term in January, President Trump pledged to "stop all wars" and be remembered as a "peacemaker and unifier."

But six months later, tensions are escalating in the Middle East following Israel's attack on Iran, raising the risk of a regional conflict that could entangle US forces.

Trump's apparent support for the Israeli strikes is now testing his peace promise — and creating divisions within his base. Many right-wing politicians and commentators argue that unconditional support for Israel contradicts the "America First" principles that got Trump elected.

"There's a strong sense of betrayal and anger within much of the 'America First' base," said Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, a US think tank focused on diplomacy.

"They've grown increasingly skeptical of Israel and believe wars like this are what turn Republican presidencies into failures — and derail their domestic agendas."