Why Trump’s Iran decision is splitting the Republican party

Jun 19, 2025

Tensions rise within the Republican Party as Donald Trump faces pushback from supporters over potential military action against Iran. Many MAGA followers, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, oppose military involvement, challenging Trump’s ‘America First’ stance. The discussion dives into the legacy of past U.S. wars and whether Trump needs party backing for his decisions. Insights from Elliott Abrams shed light on the complexities of Iran's nuclear ambitions and the internal struggles of Trump's advisory team, navigating a divided political landscape.

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INSIGHT

MAGA Split Over Iran Strikes

Donald Trump's MAGA base is divided over potential military strikes on Iran, reflecting a war within his own supporters.
This split echoes Trump's original anti-Iraq war stance, which helped him rise politically by opposing foreign military entanglements.

INSIGHT

Trump Dismisses Intelligence Warnings

Trump publicly dismisses his own intelligence chief's assessment that Iran is not close to building a nuclear weapon.
His position seems shaped by daily conversations with Israeli PM Netanyahu, influencing his tougher stance on Iran's nuclear threat.

INSIGHT

Legacy Drives Trump's Iran Approach

Trump's decision may be driven by legacy concerns rather than electoral politics since he is not running for re-election.
He sees current conditions as a rare chance for decisive action against Iran's nuclear program with potentially limited risks.

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As the world waits for Donald Trump’s decison on whether to join Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear sites, he is quickly losing support from his own party.

Donald Trump has generally enjoyed party unity since returning to office in January but now faces an open revolt over the possibility of US strikes against Iran. Some of Trump’s biggest supporters, including the Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, have publicly come out against the prospect of war with Iran. Why are some of his MAGA supporters against military involvement, and does it fit with the ‘America First’ agenda? Sarah, Justin and Anthony discuss how the legacy of America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan loom over the current situation with Iran, and whether Donald Trump even needs the support of his party to join the Israel-Iran conflict.

And Justin speaks to Elliott Abrams, who served as Special Representative for Iran from 2020 to 2021, during Donald Trump’s first term. He was also an Assistant Secretary of State in the Reagan Administration. In 1992, Abrams was pardoned after he was convicted of misleading Congress about out the Iran-Contra affair, which involved the secret sale of arms to Iran.

HOSTS: * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Justin Webb, Radio 4 Presenter * Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent

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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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