The prospect of a US strike on Iran has exposed divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought President Donald Trump to power. Some of his supporters are urging him not to drag the country into another war in the Middle East, Reuters notes, reports BTA.
Some of Trump's most prominent Republican allies, including one of the stalwarts of the "Make America Great Again" movement (MAGA) Steve Bannon, have found themselves in the unusual position of being at odds with a president who largely shares their isolationist tendencies.
Yesterday, Bannon, one of many influential voices in the "America First" coalition, urged caution about the U.S. military joining Israel in efforts to destroy Iran's nuclear program, especially in the absence of a diplomatic agreement.
"We can't do this again," Bannon told reporters at an event sponsored by the „Christian Science Monitor“ in Washington. "We're going to tear the country apart. We can't have another Iraq," he warned.
Today, Bannon continued to call for patience on his popular podcast „War Headquarters“ (“War Room“), claiming that Trump is willing to take responsibility for the eventual overthrow of the Iranian regime. He was joined by Jack Posobetz, another prominent MAGA figure.
The goal, Posobetz said, is “to get the United States involved, to change the regime, and, unfortunately, for the United States to finish something that we didn't start“.
Bannon responded: “The way to change the regime is to come from the streets. It has to come from the people. If it comes from above, from a foreign power, it never works.“
The anti-interventionist wing of the Republican Party has watched with alarm as Trump has quickly moved from seeking a peaceful diplomatic solution with Iran to possibly supporting Israel’s military campaign, which could include the use of bunker-busting bombs.
A possible decision by Trump to get involved in the conflict would be a sharp departure from his usual caution about foreign engagements. It could affect his campaign to promote good relations in the Persian Gulf and confound his efforts to end the war in Ukraine and strike trade deals with countries around the world, Reuters reports.