Republicans Rally Behind Trump on Iran War at CPAC

Speakers at conservative gathering argue moral case for conflict despite broader national skepticism.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 5:44pm

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At the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Grapevine, Texas, Republicans largely rallied behind U.S. strikes on Iran, backing President Donald Trump on an issue that has dented his wider approval ratings and could jeopardize the party's prospects in the November midterm elections. Speakers ranging from a prominent evangelist to a former Trump adviser and Iranian political activists took to the stage to argue the moral case for the war before supporters of Trump's Make America Great Again movement.

Why it matters

The conference comes at a moment of growing voter unease over the war and high fuel prices – factors clouding the Republican party's chances of retaining its slim majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives in November. Trump's approval rating has fallen to 36%, its lowest since his return to the White House, though support among his core base remains firm.

The details

While acknowledging that Americans are concerned about the prospect of a protracted conflict, CPAC senior fellow Mercedes Schlapp used a session featuring two Iranians shot by security forces during 2022 protests to press the case for a war she said would liberate its people. Reverend Franklin Graham, one of the country's best-known Christian evangelists, framed the Iran war in religious terms, telling the CPAC crowd that Trump's decision to attack Iran was necessary to preserve Israel's existence. Dozens of Iranian-Americans were in attendance, many of them carrying Iranian and American flags and advocating for the war.

  • The conference, a key annual gathering for Republican politicians and conservative activists, took place on March 26, 2026.
  • The Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Monday found Trump's approval rating had fallen to 36%, its lowest since his return to the White House.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who ordered the strikes on Iran.

Mercedes Schlapp

A CPAC senior fellow and a former senior adviser to Trump during his first term.

Franklin Graham

One of the country's best-known Christian evangelists.

Reza Pahlavi

The exiled son of Iran's toppled shah who hopes to lead a transitional government.

Nima Poursohi

An Iranian-American attending CPAC to show support for the war.

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What they’re saying

“The madness needs to stop. We've got to make Iran free again and we are going to make sure America stands strong by their side.”

— Mercedes Schlapp, CPAC senior fellow

“He stepped up to protect Israel and the Jewish people from what I believe was the possibility of a nuclear annihilation by the radical Islamic regime. Thank God for President Trump.”

— Franklin Graham, Prominent Christian evangelist

“It is time for this regime to go after 47 years. Dropping bombs and military action is scary, but living under an Islamic regime is a lot scarier.”

— Nima Poursohi, Iranian-American CPAC attendee

What’s next

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's toppled shah, is due to speak at CPAC on Friday to discuss his hopes of leading a transitional government in Iran.

The takeaway

The strong Republican support for the Iran war at CPAC highlights the party's efforts to rally its base behind Trump's foreign policy decisions, even as broader national skepticism about the conflict grows and threatens to undermine the GOP's political fortunes in the upcoming midterm elections.