The president of the United States, Donald Trump, presumes that his supporters are so faithful that if he kill someone on the fifth Avenue in New York they would accept him without problems. That statement can now be tested: while, either by Israel’s hand or alone, and announces a period of two weeks to decide, its voter base begins to show important cracks. Some support that blow, but other very influential voices within the Maga Movement (Make America Great Again), including his ally Steve Bannon, expressly express themselves against a new intervention abroad.
At the mouth of his spokesman, Karoline Leavitt, Trump has confirmed Thursday that his decision on the attack will still take two weeks to arrive.
The decision to give a period of two weeks is due to the fact that there is “a substantial possibility of negotiations” that “may or may not occur” with Iran at that time, as the spokeswoman said. About the negotiations that were developed until Israel attacked Iranian military and nuclear objectives last week between the US and Iran around the Iranian nuclear program, the spokeswoman stressed that the proposals presented by the US representative, Steve Witkoff, were “realistic and acceptable.”
In aspects such as the promises of immediate triumph or the conviction that the local population would celebrate the assault, the possible operation in Iran remembers the clumsy invasion of Iraq in 2003. The differences around this possibility show the difficult balance of a coalition within the Republican Party that allied to encumbra Trump last November, but which brings together very different currents.
On the one hand, the anti -interventionists of the Maga Movement, with representatives such as Bannon, commentator Tucker Carlson or Charlie Kirk, author of a popular Póstcast among the youngest Republicans. Carlson lashed out Tuesday against Senator Ted Cruz, one of the Republicans who defends the intervention of the United States, when asked how many inhabitants I would have and this not knowing how to answer. “You are a senator who asks for the overthrow of the Government of Iran and knows nothing from the country!” The former Fox News presenter affected during an interview for his podcast.
On the other side are the neoconservatives in favor of the intervention, which in many cases supported the war in Iraq, or the Republicans whose only position is to support again and again what the president decides, whatever it is.
Another endless war
The isolationist, a current that has grown and has fed a large part of the popular discontent with the so -called “eternal wars” of the beginning of the century in Iraq and Afghanistan, beg Trump that he does not think of launching another attack that would imply again the US and his troops in the Middle East. They argue to the president that during his electoral campaign he promised to keep the country out of conflicts in other parts of the world, that an attack like Iraq in 2003 could have and could become another endless war.
The bombing supporters allege, on the contrary, that it is necessary Lindsey Graham, firm ally of Trump, has stated that Iran represents “an existential threat” for Israel, a US friend.
The last to urge the president to think twice has been Bannon, who was Trump’s right hand at the beginning of his first mandate and one of the most influential voices in the republican ultra -right wing. “We can’t do this again,” said the current Pódcast War Room. “We are going to destroy the country. We cannot have another Iraq.”
The isolationist have followed with concern the evolution of a president who came promising not to intervene abroad, and whose administration declares that that of Ukraine is not their war or plays anything in places like Syria. In the first months of what is going on, the president tried to press Israel for a high fire in Gaza, deter Benjamín Netanyahu to attack an Iran of which the Israeli has been ensuring that he is weeks of taking a nuclear bomb. Until just a couple of weeks ago, Trump was inclined to solve the problem of the Iranian nuclear program by diplomatic route.
Now, exhausted the 60 days that gave Tehran to reach an agreement that put an end to the uranium enrichment activities of the regime, has given its approval to Israeli bombings, and the possibility of attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities with Iran with, so heavy that only the powerful b-52 bombers, but the only one with the ability to destroy such protected bunkers and so deeply Like Fordow, south of Tehran, where the Islamic Republic has the basis of its nuclear program.
That step can lead to consequences that are dragged for years. Putting the side of Israel in this case could dynamite the excellent relationships Trump maintains with the Arab Gulf regimes. It could cause the fall of the Iranian regime, without being very clear if there is something that could replace you that does not imply chaos. It could affect your plans to impose generalized tariffs. And I could have an impact on the war in Ukraine, where Washington continues to ensure that it looks for a fire as soon as possible.
So far, Trump says that “nobody knows” what will end up deciding. “I could attack. Or I might not do it,” he said Wednesday.
“United States first”
Bannon is not the only one within the Maga Movement that has expressed his doubts about the wisdom of this step and his support to stay out. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene, of the most ultra-right-wing wing and that he usually supports each and every one of its leader’s ideas, has declared that “a war in the Middle East would lead to the United States 20 years ago.” In the social network X he also opined that “anyone who Charlatanee in favor that the United States is totally involved in the war between Israel and Iran is not Maga/United States first.”
Trump has subtracted, for the moment, importance to the apparent discrepancies between his electoral base, “my supporters love me even more today, and I want them more than during the elections,” he said on Wednesday. On the possibility of an attack, he said: “I just want one thing: Iran can’t have nuclear weapons.” He also declared: “I am not looking to fight. But if the dilemma is between fighting or having a nuclear weapon, one does what it has to do.”
But he also acknowledged that some of his supporters are not “very happy right now.” Faced with the visible internal disagreements, the White House has contacted some of the most influential voices against a possible attack to ask for moderation, the newspaper published on Thursday Wall Street Journal.
An instant survey of the newspaper The Washington Post He showed on Wednesday that 45% of Americans are against a military attack, while 25% support it. Another 30% is not sure. Two thirds of the Democrats reject Bombardear Iran, but among the Republicans the opinions are more divided: 47% support the idea, compared to 24% that condemns it and 29% that is not pronounced.
A high position of the White House, cited by the Digital Politicohe stated: “People say that we have to maintain the united coalition … Well, if you are Donald Trump, that at the bottom of your heart you know that you will not present yourself to other elections, do you do that? Or do you do the right thing? It is centered especially on doing what you think is the right thing for the country, and what you have always wanted to do for the country.”
The high position added that Trump “is aware of criticism”, but is convinced that his supporters will end up closing rows around him. We will have to see if so and the Republican leader is right when believing that his voters are absolutely forgive.
