Blackwater Founder Criticizes Trump's Iran Strikes as 'Chaos'

Erik Prince says the U.S.-Israeli attacks won't achieve their goals and will lead to more destruction in the Middle East.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Erik Prince, the founder of the private military contractor Blackwater, has criticized the recent U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran, saying the conflict is not in "America's interests" and will lead to more death and destruction across the Middle East. Prince warned that the assassination of Iran's 86-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will likely result in a power struggle among tens of thousands of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members vying to replace him, and questioned whether there is a viable plan for regime change in Iran.

Why it matters

Prince's criticism of the strikes, coming from the founder of one of the most prominent private military companies, raises doubts about the effectiveness and strategic value of the U.S. involvement in the conflict. His comments also highlight the potential for the situation to escalate into a prolonged and costly ground war, which the Trump administration has sought to avoid.

The details

Prince said the strikes would "uncork a significant can of worms and chaos and destruction in Iran now," and questioned whether the U.S. and Israel have a clear plan for what happens after Khamenei's death. He argued that regime change is unlikely to be achieved through airpower alone and will likely require ground troops, which he advised the president against deploying. Prince also criticized Trump's decision to align the U.S. with Israel's foreign policy interests in the conflict.

  • On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel carried out strikes that killed Iran's 86-year-old supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and more than 40 top Iranian security and regime officials.
  • On Sunday, Erik Prince provided his assessment of the strikes on Steve Bannon's War Room podcast.

The players

Erik Prince

The founder of Blackwater, the private military contractor later rebranded as Constellis, and a former Navy SEAL who has been critical of the U.S. involvement in the conflict with Iran.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who has aligned the U.S. with Israel in the conflict with Iran, a decision that Prince has criticized.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The 86-year-old supreme leader of Iran, who was killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Saturday.

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What they’re saying

“Look, Steve, I'm not happy about the whole thing. I don't think this was in America's interests. It's going to uncork a significant can of worms and chaos and destruction in Iran now.”

— Erik Prince, Founder of Blackwater (War Room)

“Subjecting our foreign policy to Israeli foreign policy, I have a real issue with that. I've said it before. I said it weeks ago on your show. This should not be the path forward, and the president's chosen to do it. I just wonder who pressured him that much to do it this way.”

— Erik Prince, Founder of Blackwater (War Room)

What’s next

The conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran is expected to continue, with the potential for further escalation and the possible deployment of U.S. ground troops, despite Prince's warnings against such a move.

The takeaway

Prince's criticism of the U.S. strikes in Iran, coming from the founder of a prominent private military company, highlights the potential for the conflict to spiral out of control and the need for a clear, well-thought-out strategy to avoid a prolonged and costly ground war.