Hawks and doves: Where does MAGA stand on a possible US strike on Iran?

President Donald Trump's indications that the US may join Israel in its strikes against Iran have caused a split among his supporters, with MAGA isolationist hardliners facing off against more traditional neo-con Republicans over the issue.

Trump was elected on the basis that Washington would retreat from "forever wars" - citing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan during his successful presidential campaign in 2016 as examples of this - and during his 2024 campaign, again promising to bring stability to the Middle East and "return the world to peace" via a more isolationist US foreign policy.

The New Arab looks at the key members of Trump's movement in favour and against any US involvement in a war with Iran.

The doves

Several key people in the MAGA camp have expressed vocal opposition to any US military strikes on Iran.

This includes former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson, who told ideologue Steve Bannon's 'War Room' podcast that he feared US involvement could end Trump's presidency, adding: "You're not going to convince me that the Iranian people are my enemy."

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a vocal Trump supporter, also expressed opposition on social media, saying that an intervention in Iran was not an 'America First' policy, Trump's centrepiece campaign slogan throughout his political career.

Candace Owens, a political commentator who has become a vocal right-wing critic of Israel, came out in defence of Tucker Carlson over his criticism of any possible strikes on Iran.

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's director of national intelligence, has also come under from within the White House over her video published to social media that "warmongers" were "fomenting fear and tensions between nuclear powers", on 10 June.

She previously said that Iran wasn't attempting to build a nuclear weapon, and has been a vocal opponent against US intervention in the Ukraine war.

Her video came after Israel hawks met Trump at the White House, attempting to drum up support for US involvement in an Israeli strike on Iran, according to Politico, with Gabbard reportedly reprimanded over the video.

The hawks

While many of those critical of the administration's march to war come from the lower echelons of US politics or are outside of congress, seasoned Republican politicians in Congress have come out as the most hawkish on strikes on Iran.

Prominent Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has called for US intervention, saying that Trump "understands the threat the ayatollah presents to us, not just Israel, and that he will, at the end of the day, help Israel finish the job".

Senator Ted Cruz, who is a longtime critic of Iran and a staunch supporter of Israel, engaged in a heated row with Carlson over his advocacy for hitting Iran's nuclear facilities, symbolising the split within the MAGA camp.

Another Republican Senator, Tom Cotton, expressed support for Trump's warning to residents of Tehran, saying on X that it was an example of Trump showing that he "cares more about innocent Iranian citizens than their own leaders do".

Bridging the right-wing divide

Some within MAGA are attempting to bridge the divide between the hawk and dove factions, led by Vice President JD Vance.

"And of course, people are right to be worried about foreign entanglement after the last 25 years of idiotic policy," Vance said in a lengthy post on X. "But I believe the president has earned some trust on this issue. And having seen this up close and personal, I can assure you that he is only interested in using the American military to accomplish the American people's goals."

Likewise, Steve Bannon, the pro-Trump ideologue who has been one of his staunchest supporters within MAGA ranks, has flip-flopped on the issue.

He initially criticised any strikes on Iran, saying on Monday that if the US is involved "it's not going to just blow up the coalition, it's also going to thwart the most important thing, which is the deportation of illegal alien invaders who are here".

Despite this, he later said on Wednesday: "We don't like it. In fact, maybe we hate it," he said, adding, "But, you know, we'll get on board."

Likewise, political commentator Charlie Kirk, who has railed against regime change in Iran since the issue erupted, also has attempted to bridge the divide in the MAGA camp from what he said were "radical interventionist faction" and "extreme isolationist".

"President Trump is not an ideologue. He's pragmatic and he prizes common sense. He rejects both extremes and tries to find an America-First middle ground," he said on X on Tuesday.

 "I don't know if President Trump will choose to involve America against Iran. But he is a man I trust to be making that decision."