Trump's Conservative Media Support Cracks Over Iran War

Once-loyal figures like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly criticize the president's decision to go to war with Iran.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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President Donald Trump is facing criticism from some conservative media figures who have been loyal supporters, including Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Matt Walsh. The criticism has centered on Israel's influence on Trump's decision to go to war with Iran, with some arguing the U.S. is fighting for a foreign country rather than American interests. While most of Trump's conservative media base remains supportive, the cracks in his support illustrate the value of that support when it's unified, and the problems it can cause when it fractures.

Why it matters

Trump has relied heavily on conservative media figures to maintain support among his base. The criticism from some of these figures highlights the potential risks of that reliance if the conservative media landscape becomes divided over key issues like the decision to go to war. It also raises questions about the influence of foreign actors like Israel on U.S. foreign policy decisions.

The details

The criticism has come from figures like Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host who now has his own independent operation, Megyn Kelly, another former Fox anchor, and Matt Walsh of The Daily Wire. They have argued that the U.S. is fighting this war for Israel's benefit rather than American interests. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's comments that the administration acted to prevent higher U.S. casualties were also a flashpoint. Some conservatives, like former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, have accused the administration of putting "Israel first" rather than "America first."

  • On the weekend, Tucker Carlson told ABC News that the attack was "absolutely disgusting and evil."
  • Megyn Kelly said on her show that "no one should have to die for a foreign country" and that the U.S. service members "died for Iran or Israel."
  • Matt Walsh wrote on X that Rubio was "flat out telling us that we're in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand."
  • Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said on Kelly's podcast that she was furious over the U.S. military action, arguing that "Make America Great Again" was "supposed to be America first, not Israel first."

The players

Tucker Carlson

A former Fox News host who has built his own independent media operation and has been critical of Trump's decision to go to war with Iran.

Megyn Kelly

Another former Fox News anchor who has expressed criticism of the U.S. going to war for the benefit of a "foreign country" rather than American interests.

Matt Walsh

A host at The Daily Wire who has been critical of the administration's messaging and rationale for the war with Iran.

Marco Rubio

The Secretary of State who said the administration acted to prevent higher U.S. casualties, which was a flashpoint for criticism.

Marjorie Taylor Greene

A former U.S. Representative who has fashioned herself as an influencer and media figure, and who has criticized the war as putting "Israel first" rather than "America first."

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What they’re saying

“It's hard to say this, but the United States didn't make the decision here. Benjamin Netanyahu did.”

— Tucker Carlson (ABC News)

“No one should have to die for a foreign country. I don't think those service members died for the United States. I think they died for Iran or Israel.”

— Megyn Kelly (Megyn Kelly's show)

“We knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them, before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties.”

— Marco Rubio, Secretary of State (Capitol Hill briefing)

“Rubio was flat out telling us that we're in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said.”

— Matt Walsh, Daily Wire host (X)

“Make America Great Again was supposed to be America first, not Israel first.”

— Marjorie Taylor Greene, Former U.S. Representative (Megyn Kelly's podcast)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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