Right Openly Divided Over Iran War at CPAC
Conservatives gather for CPAC amid open division on the right over Trump's Iran war.
Objective Facts
Conservatives are holding one of their largest annual gatherings at a perilous political moment for President Donald Trump and with open division on the right over the war he launched in Iran. Neither Trump nor Vice President JD Vance has been publicly announced as speaking to the gathering. Among featured speakers is longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon, who said during his War Room podcast this month that should the war become a hard slog, it could cost the GOP conservative voters ahead of the midterms. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who supports the war, also is on the agenda at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center. Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz's scheduled speaking slot is a reminder of the disagreement among some conservatives about the U.S. military alliance with Israel against Iran, with Gaetz saying the U.S. has been too cozy with Israel. A new AP-NORC poll shows about 59% of Americans think the military action in Iran is excessive.
Left-Leaning Perspective
Democrats note that today is the first day of CPAC and Donald Trump is poised to skip the conference for the first time in 10 years, as Trump's deadly and costly war with Iran rages on and his economy continues to tank. By 23 points, Americans oppose the war in Iran, and Trump is 20 points underwater on his handling of it. Trump's deadly and costly war with Iran has claimed the lives of 13 U.S. troops. Key Democrats in Congress are vaguely opposing a war instead of forcefully opposing it on moral grounds, refusing to stand against the war on moral grounds. Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and Sen. Bernie Sanders, two of the most progressive Democratic senators, have been willing to say the magic words that have eluded much of their caucus: No war with Iran. Rep. Ilhan Omar stated that bombs don't build or create stability and that the Democratic Party must be the anti-war party with a clear vision of diplomacy over destruction, people over defense contracts. Many Democrats like Schumer and Jeffries have a long history of supporting sanctions against Iran and warning the regime is an existential threat to Israel, jumbling their thoughts and muddling their response. More centrist Democratic members and those with long track records of supporting Israel are openly supportive of Operation Epic Fury, with New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer celebrating the administration for taking decisive action to defend national security.
Right-Leaning Perspective
Polls show that President Donald Trump's war against Iran has strong support among self-identified MAGA voters, despite strident criticism from some conservative commentators. In recent polls, vast majorities back Trump's bombing campaign, with self-described MAGA voters even more likely to approve than other Republicans. Eighty-six percent of conservatives said they approved of the president's job performance in a February AP-NORC poll. Movement influencers, including Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Candace Owens, made clear their opposition in the name of America First. Critics reject the casus belli, noting there was not an imminent threat, the Iranians did not have nuclear weapons that could hit the homeland, did not have missiles that could hit the homeland, and were at the negotiating table. Ted Cruz said: I think President Trump was exactly right to act to protect Americans. According to a Politico poll, about two-thirds of Trump's 2024 voters either don't think the Iran war broke Trump's campaign promise or say it was necessary because of changing circumstances, with a plurality saying the war is consistent with MAGA principles. So far, just three congressional Republicans have voted in ways that suggest they oppose the war. Speculation abounded that Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence and a longtime opponent of U.S. interventionism, might quit or be fired, and Vice President JD Vance, another anti-interventionist, is also out of sync with the president on foreign wars.
Deep Dive
On 28 February 2026, a war began when the United States and Israel launched surprise airstrikes on multiple sites and cities across Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other Iranian officials, with Iran responding with missile and drone strikes against Israel, US bases, and US-allied countries in the Middle East. Just before the strikes began, Oman's Foreign Minister said a breakthrough had been reached with Iran agreeing to never stockpile enriched uranium and to full verification by the IAEA, with peace within reach. For a hot minute it appeared Trump's bold decision to go to war with Iran would fracture his MAGA base, with movement influencers including Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Candace Owens making clear their opposition in the name of America First. However, the actual fracture has been narrower than anticipated. Polls show Trump's war against Iran has strong support among self-identified MAGA voters, despite strident criticism from some conservative commentators. In recent polls, vast majorities back Trump's bombing campaign, with self-described MAGA voters even more likely to approve than other Republicans, and so far just three congressional Republicans have voted in ways that suggest they oppose the war. Democrats face an internal debate between progressives demanding clear anti-war positioning and centrists concerned about appearing weak on Iran. Only around half of Republicans and 2024 Trump voters said they strongly support the way Trump is handling Iran. A poll found that 24% of Republicans said the war in Iran wasn't a good use of taxpayer dollars, rising to 31% when asked what they'd say if the price of gas rose by $1 per gallon. The war's impact on midterms will likely hinge on whether economic pain compounds—oil price volatility and inflation could reshape both parties' coalitions faster than ideology has thus far.