Donald Trump defended his administration's military campaign against Iran, telling Fox News that his political base overwhelmingly supports the strikes, even as oil prices surge and divisions emerge within the broader Republican Party.
Appearing on The Five, Trump framed the conflict as both necessary and politically validated, citing polling that shows strong backing among his core supporters. "MAGA loves the fact that they're not going to have somebody with a nuclear bomb over their head," Trump said, adding: "We have people that are weak or stupid or low-IQ people that don't mind having Iran have a nuclear weapon. The MAGA people are smart."
The remarks come weeks after the Pentagon launched Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, targeting Iranian military and leadership infrastructure in Tehran. The strikes triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iranian forces and heightened tensions across the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy supplies.
Disruptions to tanker traffic in the narrow waterway-through which roughly 20% of the world's seaborne oil typically passes-have driven prices above $100 per barrel, intensifying concerns about supply shortages in Asia and Europe.
Polling data referenced by Trump underscores a widening gap within the Republican electorate:
- 90% of MAGA-aligned Republicans support the strikes
- 5% oppose the military action
- Among non-MAGA Republicans:
- 54% support strikes
- 36% oppose them
Trump leaned heavily on those figures, arguing that his base represents the dominant force within the party. "Almost every single person that I endorse wins," he said, portraying MAGA voters as aligned behind a strategy aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The president also emphasized military strength as central to deterrence. "We're going to take a fairly short detour. We're going to show everybody that there's nobody even coming close to us militarily - nobody even comes close. We have the greatest weapons. We have the strongest military," he said.
When pressed on whether the conflict contradicted his earlier positioning against foreign wars, Trump signaled that national security considerations outweighed political messaging. "You can't let a madman, or you can't let a mad ideology have a nuclear weapon," he said, adding, "And the reason is, they like that I'm protecting our country from lunatics with a nuclear weapon."
The administration has not limited its options to airstrikes. The White House has indicated it is weighing support for local militias inside Iran, a move that could significantly broaden the scope of the conflict and deepen U.S. involvement.
