During the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Grapevine, Texas, supporters of President Donald Trump found themselves grappling with his decision to engage in military action against Iran.
Many speakers and attendees at CPAC aimed to galvanize conservative support for Trump, urging them to ‘trust his judgment’ as he pursued a range of objectives in his second presidential term.
Nonetheless, there was a faction of attendees who remained cautious, expressing concerns about a foreign policy that seemed increasingly focused on military interventions abroad, particularly the potential deployment of U.S. forces to Iran.
Mark Lynch, a Republican candidate challenging Senator Lindsey Graham in the South Carolina primary, expressed his anger to the Daily Mail over Graham’s push for the conflict.
“The main issue is that people are tired of his consistent warmongering throughout his career,” Lynch remarked. “He’s obsessed with initiating more wars. It’s disturbing, it’s twisted, he’s got a thirst for violence, it’s malevolent.”
Lynch criticized Graham for neglecting the concerns of South Carolina residents in favor of getting entangled in Middle Eastern affairs.
‘He’s AWOL,’ he said, referring to Graham. ‘He’s all over the world trying to start World War III and ignoring South Carolinians.’
CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp endorsed Trump’s decision in an interview with the Daily Mail, and said that most conservatives would follow the President.
‘Most people here trust Trump. They trust his judgment,’ Schlapp said.
‘They believe that he and Marco Rubio have been very wise in how they’ve handled diplomatically and how they’ve handled it militarily. You trust him, and we’ll see how this goes.’
US President Donald J. Trump (C), with Secretary of State Marco Rubio (L) and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R), responds to a question from the news media during a cabinet meeting
Attendees sing the national anthem during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) USA 2026
Former White House chief strategist for President Trump and host of War Room podcast Steve Bannon paused his live show on Thursday to air President Trump’s cabinet meeting live for his audience.
Trump, he observed to the Daily Mail afterward, held a carefully-orchestrated ‘war cabinet’ meeting to demonstrate his seriousness about the mission in Iran but also to send a message to their leaders about a chance to negotiate.
After his audience watched the cabinet meeting, Bannon recalled that the majority cheered when he asked them whether they wanted the president to finish the job right and come home, rather than exit right away.
But he noted there was zero support from attendees when he asked if the president should send in ground troops.
The president, he explained, would have to move quickly as public support for the war was limited.
‘I think public support being against it is inextricably linked to movement towards an objective that the American people support there,’ Bannon said.
Iran was playing smash-mouth negotiations with Trump, he noted.
Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, Bannon said, hurt their own country economically but also shifted the momentum in the war.
‘It really shifted the initiative in this thing. I think you’ve got to get the initiative back,’ he said.
Join the discussion
Should America risk more lives for foreign wars, or should it focus on problems at home?
CPAC Chairman, Matt Schlapp applauds during a speech by exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi
Conservative political strategist Steve Bannon, former advisor to US President Donald Trump speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)
The CPAC conference was flooded with a large group of Americans of Persian descent who praised the president’s decision to launch military strikes in Iran.
One Iranian-American attendee revealed that there were at least 1,000 of his fellow patriots who came to the conference this year.
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi spoke to the conference on Saturday, urging Americans to be supportive of the president’s war effort.
As the son of the shah in Iran who was overthrown in the 1979 revolution, Pahlavi emphasized the evil of the new leaders of Iran and offered hope to skeptical conservatives.
‘A free Iran is not a fantasy,’ Pahlavi said. ‘A free Iran is within reach right now, but as we all know, freedom never comes free.’
The Persians at the conference demonstrated visible support for the crown prince, wearing Iranian flags, pins, shirts, together with pro-Trump memorabilia.
The group deployed flash-mobs throughout the conference, erupting in cheers and shouting in Farsi, signaling support for the crown prince and thanking Trump for his decision to launch military attacks in the country. .
Matin, 28, a man originally from Iran now lives in California and said he came to the conference to cheer on Pahlavi.
Attendees chant slogans in support of the Iranian opposition and thank US President Donald Trump during the Conservative Political Action Conference
Saeed Akbari and Noushin Ebrahimi, with children Parmida Akbari and Liam Akbari, demonstrate during a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)
He conceded there was ‘trauma’ in the United States from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but urged Americans to be patient with Trump’s military operation.
‘It wouldn’t be a bad idea to put some trust in the plan, ultimately this will be beneficial for the entire world,’ he said. ‘Oil prices will be lower than ever before.’
Younger conservatives, however, were more skeptical of the president’s war.
‘I think it’s stupid. Trump did run on no new wars and a lot of people came on board because of that,’ Luke, 20, a student traveling to the conference from Cincinnati told the Daily Mail.
‘I’ll tolerate it if it ends quickly and we do well,’ Charles, 20 told the Daily Mail. ‘I don’t know if it was the best move but it depends on how well it goes.’
Older attendees recalled personal memories of the Iran hostage crisis and other bombings of American targets in the Middle East, making them more likely to back the president’s decision.
Henry, 63, from Florida and his wife Fern both backed the military strikes.
‘I think it was necessary, I think it was high time that we settle everything,’ he said.
His wife agreed.
‘I think Trump is moving forward and he is worried about years from now, just not today,’ she said. ‘I understand that a lot of people are upset, I get it, but I think it is something that needs to be done.’
Jeff from Oregon, 67, said he was more supportive of the president’s efforts.
‘I pray that this will lead to a toppling of that evil regime,’ he said, praising Trump’s foreign policy so far as ‘amazing.’
‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we end up with Cuba free, Venezuela free, and Iran free and figure out how to end that war in Ukraine?’ he asked.
