President Trump criticized former ally Tucker Carlson at the summit and on Truth Social, dismissing his call for the U.S. to avoid war with Iran, and poked at Carlson for not being on television anymore.
Trump also called Carlson “kooky” and wrote that “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.” Many consider the former Fox News host an influential individual during Trump’s 2024 campaign.
They see him as a voice of reason. This rift between Trump Iran neocons and America First patriots intensifies.
In a notable shift from his earlier views, Trump recently disregarded Carlson’s caution against engaging in conflict with Iran at a summit. This change agitates America First supporters. Meanwhile, neoconservatives, who favor intervention, applaud this decision, while patriots criticize what they perceive as Israel’s undue influence on U.S. policy.
The Middle East’s history of costly regime changes claims lives and trillions, fueling their frustration.
Moreover, Trump’s 2024 promise of no new wars now clashes with neocon and Israeli support for Iran action, widening the gap.
These tensions highlight a larger ideological clash: America First proponents fear a revival of the interventionist strategies familiar from the early 2000s, whereas neocons view this as a chance to reinforce control in the region.
Trump once opposed war with Iran. His tweets from 2011-2013 show this:
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11/29/11: “In order to get elected, @BarackObama will start a war with Iran.”
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1/17/12: “@BarackObama will attack Iran in order to get re-elected.”
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9/16/13: “I predict that President Obama will at some point attack Iran in order to save face!”
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11/10/13: “Remember that I predicted long ago that President Obama would attack Iran due to his lack of negotiation skills!”
“They Lied! They said there were Weapons of Mass Destruction, there were none, and they knew there were none!”
Donald Trump, circa 2015, to his chief neocon rival.
Where did this man go?
He was tired of the 40 years of WMD lies and understood its consequences. pic.twitter.com/M4j0kUNOuZ
— Lauren Witzke (@LaurenWitzkeDE) June 17, 2025
During the 2015 Republican Presidential Debate, President Trump boldly opposed the Iraq war, declaring, “They Lied! They said there were Weapons of Mass Destruction, there were none, and they knew there were none!”
These highlight his early anti-war stance, now contradicted by his current position. This reversal questions his commitment to the “America First” doctrine, especially as Iran’s recent missile tests heighten regional instability.
Carlson voiced deep concerns in a recent interview with Steve Bannon.
He said, “I actually really love Trump. He’s a deeply humane kind person,” but warned, “I am saying this because I’m really afraid that my country’s gonna be further weakened by this. I think we’re gonna see the end of American empire…”
Bannon asked, “What do you mean by that? That’s coming from you,” prompting Carlson to cite Bush-era wars. He said, “That war is the sum total from historical perspective of his administration.”
He fears war could end Trump’s presidency and strain the U.S. military, a caution that resonates with his anti-interventionist audience.
Chatsworth Qatarlson was far worse than a NeverTrumper. Far worse than a Donald Trump critic. His pure hate for the man as a human-being was unhinged, abnormal, poisonous, as you can read yourself below. Those perverse and deeply troubling public impulses appear to have…
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) June 17, 2025
Mark Levin unleashes a fierce neocon backlash against Tucker Carlson, intensifying the divide with his X post. He labels Carlson “Chatsworth Qatarlson,” accusing him of “unhinged, abnormal, poisonous” hatred toward Trump, far surpassing a NeverTrumper or critic.
This critique carries irony, as Levin once spent years as a staunch NeverTrumper, highlighting the shifting dynamics of their conflict.
Levin condemns Carlson’s “perverse and deeply troubling public impulses” as a “real malady,” tying them to promoting antisemites and admiring Putin, while mocking his “weird nervous laugh.”
This personal attack underscores Levin’s rejection of Carlson’s anti-war stance, setting the stage for further neocon resistance.
Rising in sharp defiance of Levin’s neocon aggression, the non-interventionist America First base unites with resolute purpose to shield their movement from the specter of foreign conflict, pushing back against Trump’s apparent lean toward an Iran war.
If you said no Trump supporter would disagree with him, you were wrong. @ComicDaveSmith said today he was wrong to back him and he should be impeached. @TuckerCarlson said backing this war will end Trump’s presidency. Can you please open your eyes and build an anti-war coalition?
— Cenk Uygur (@cenkuygur) June 16, 2025
Cenk Uygur lends his voice to this cause, urging a collective stand with a call that includes “Can you please open your eyes and build an anti-war coalition?”
Alex Jones joins the fray, sounding a dire alarm about a new world war with the stark warning “NIGHTMARES are MADE of.”
Candace Owens also stepped forward, condemning Trump’s stance with the pointed remark, “Donald Trump just completely fractured his base.”
Together, their impassioned leadership ignites a swelling tide of opposition, echoing Carlson’s warnings and broadening the Trump Iran neocons divide.
As the debate intensifies, Trump backpedals on his 2024 pledge of “No More Foreign Wars,” a retreat that undermines his base’s trust and signals alignment with neocon interests.
This shift fuels a widening chasm between True America First patriots, who champion sovereignty and non-intervention, and the Neocon Establishment, increasingly seen as prioritizing Israel’s foreign policy over the American people’s well-being.
Carlson’s warnings, Levin’s rebuttals, and the base’s resistance highlight this divide.
True Americans must act. They must reject the neoconservative agenda that sacrifices national interests for foreign entanglements. They must hold leaders accountable to the America First vision.
