Trump faces backlash from Maga base over Iran strikes: ‘This feels like a betrayal’

US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump’s decision to launch airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities has drawn a storm of criticism from within his own Maga movement, with prominent supporters accusing him of caving to Israeli pressure and violating the core tenets of his “America First” agenda. The backlash highlights a widening rift inside the Republican coalition as the US deepens its military role in the Middle East, the Financial Times reported.

In the hours after US bombers targeted Iran’s key nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, former Trump strategist Steve Bannon declared the action a strategic and political misstep. “An overwhelming majority of the people don’t want to get involved in any of this,” Bannon said on his War Room podcast. He and others argued that Trump had been maneuvered into the conflict by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who they claim initiated the war knowing that Israel alone could not finish it.

Critics say war violates Trump's promises

The decision to join the conflict has stunned some of Trump’s staunchest allies on the American right. Commentators like Tucker Carlson and podcasters like Theo Von and Dave Smith argued that the strike contradicts Trump’s long-standing vow to avoid entanglements in the Middle East. “It was supposed to be America First,” said Von. “Now it just feels like we’re working for Israel.”

Carlson rejected the premise of the strikes outright, saying there was “zero credible intelligence” that Iran was on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon. “There is no justification for attacking Iran,” he said.

Dave Smith, a comedian and Maga-aligned commentator, went further, calling the move “an illegal war of aggression” and accusing Trump of acting on behalf of a foreign power. “Iran posed no threat to us,” Smith said.

Risk to American troops fuels concern

The criticism also reflects deep concern over the risk to the 40,000 American troops deployed across the region. With US bases in Qatar, Iraq, and Kuwait within striking distance of Iranian missiles, commentators warned that the strike has made US personnel more vulnerable. “How many Americans might get caught in the crosshairs in response?” asked conservative activist Charlie Kirk. “These situations escalate.”

Kirk, who initially defended Trump’s judgment, later acknowledged the potential for blowback. Others, like Bannon, questioned why US forces were taking on the bulk of military operations against Iran. “Why are we doing the heavy lift here?” Bannon asked. “This is a war of choice—and not our choice.”

Calls for clarity and caution grow

Some voices within the Maga camp urged calm but called for clearer communication from Trump. Matthew Boyle of Breitbart News said Trump needed to “win the trust back” from disillusioned supporters who feel blindsided by his decision. Jack Posobiec, another prominent figure on the right, insisted Trump was focused on halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions, not regime change, but acknowledged the risk of escalation.

While figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene offered only muted responses—urging Americans to “pray for peace”—the broader discontent signals a shift. Trump’s base, once unified behind his foreign policy instincts, now appears fractured as the consequences of war unfold. Whether Trump can repair the rift remains to be seen.