Trump says supporters ‘more in love' with him than ever despite Iran divisions
'My supporters are more in love with me today, and I'm more in love with them, more than they even were at election time where we had a total landslide,' the president told reporters as a new flagpole was erected at the White House.
'I may have some people that are a little bit unhappy now, but I have some people that are very happy, and I have people outside of the base that can't believe that this is happening, they're so happy,' he said.
Pete Hegseth (Jose Luis Magana/PA)
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth told legislators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday that the Pentagon was providing Mr Trump with options on Iran but would not say whether the military was planning to assist with Israeli strikes.
'I may do it, I may not do it,' Mr Trump said Wednesday. 'I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.'
Some longtime defenders of his America First mantra are criticising him for considering a greater US role in the conflict between Israel and Iran after a week of deadly strikes, and reminding their own audiences of Mr Trump's 2024 promises to resist overseas military involvement.
Steve Bannon, one of Mr Trump's 2016 campaign's senior advisers, told an audience in Washington that bitter feelings over Iraq were a driving force for Mr Trump's first presidential candidacy and the Maga (Make American Great Again) movement, saying that 'one of the core tenets is no forever wars'.
Steve Bannon (Alamy/PA)
But Mr Bannon — a longtime Trump ally who served a four-month sentence for defying a subpoena in the congressional investigation into the US Capitol attack on January 6 2021 — went on to suggest Mr Trump will maintain loyalty from his base no matter what. On Wednesday, he acknowledged that while he and others will argue against military intervention, 'the Maga movement will back Trump'.
Ultimately, Mr Bannon said Mr Trump will have to make the case to the American people if he wants to get involved in Iran, and he has not done that yet.
'We don't like it. Maybe we hate it,' Mr Bannon said, predicting what the Maga response would be. 'But, you know, we'll get on board.'
Alex Jones, the right-wing conspiracy theorist and Infowars host on Wednesday posted on social media a side-by-side of Mr Trump's official presidential photo and an AI-generated composite of Mr Trump and former president George W Bush, who Mr Trump and many of his allies have long disparaged for involving the US in the so-called 'forever wars' in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Writing 'What you voted for' above Mr Trump's image and 'What you got' above the composite, Jones added: 'I hope this is not the case.'
Alex Jones (Alamy/PA)
Commentator Tucker Carlson's rhetoric towards Mr Trump has been increasingly critical, with the longtime supporter — who headlined large rallies with the Republican during the 2024 campaign — this week suggesting the president's strategy was breaking his pledge to keep the US out of new foreign entanglements. Mr Trump hit back at Carlson on social media, calling him 'kooky'.
During an event at the White House later on Wednesday, the president said Carlson had 'called and apologised', adding that Carlson 'is a nice guy'.
On Wednesday, Carlson's conversation with Republican senator Ted Cruz laid bare the divides among many Republicans. The two sparred for two hours over a variety of issues, primarily potential US involvement in Iran, and Carlson accused Mr Cruz of placing too much emphasis on protecting Israel in his foreign policy worldview.
'You don't know anything about Iran,' Carlson said after the senator said he did not know Iran's population, or its ethnic composition. 'You're a senator who's calling for the overthrow of a government, and you don't know anything about the country.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
19 minutes ago
- The Sun
Trump ‘has APPROVED Iran attack plans & is ready to give orders' as Israel ‘strikes reactor' & Tehran hits hospital
DONALD Trump has reportedly approved US airstrikes on Iran and is waiting to give the final order as the conflict rages on in the Middle East. An Israeli hospital and an Iranian nuclear reactor were struck in a sixth night of heavy exchange between the warring nations. 4 4 4 4 Trump approved the plans to attack Iran on Tuesday night but is holding off in case Tehran agrees to abandon its nuclear programme, reports the Wall Street Journal citing senior intelligence sources. If given the go-ahead, the plans would see the US join Israel in pounding Iran's nuke sites - which Tehran has warned would spark "all out war". Overnight, Israel's main southern hospital - Soroka Hospital in Beersheba - was directly hit by an Iranian ballistic missile and suffered "extensive damage", a spokesperson said. Israel targeted Iran's heavy water reaction at Arak, Iranian state TV said, after it issued an evacuation order for there and other areas. The UK is yet to declare whether it would stand with the US should Trump decide to go ahead with military action. But Sir Keir Starmer has been warned by Attorney General Lord Hermer that the UK's involvement could be illegal. It comes as Sir Keir held a Cobra crisis meeting on Wednesday with a potential US-led strike reportedly being discussed. Trump has become heavily involved in the conflict over the last 48 hours with him speaking on the potential airstrikes from the White House as he said: "I may do it, I may not do it." It is believed that the US may choose to first attack Iran's Fordow nuclear development area, according to the Telegraph. This would likely be done by a fearsome 15-ton mega bomb known as a Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb that can penetrate deep inside the ground before blowing up. Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office Trump did say the US is the only nation capable of blitzing the key nuke site. But he added: "That doesn't mean I'm going to do it - at all." Trump also gave a two-word warning to Iran's Supreme Leader after he revealed Tehran was trying to run back to the negotiating table since the conflict broke out. When a White House reporter asked Trump about Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's declaration that he will "never surrender", Trump simply responded: "Good luck." Trump even directly threatened Khamenei as he said the US knows where he is hiding but will not kill him 'for now'. Khamenei responded by saying: "The battle begins." 'This nation will never surrender,' he said in a speech read on state television. 'America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage.' US officials indicated the next 24 to 48 hours will be crucial in determining whether diplomacy could ever be achieved with Iran, ABC News reports. It comes as warmongering Russia ironically warned the world sits "on the brink of catastrophe" as the raging Middle East conflict entered day six.
Wales Online
33 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Trump considering Iran attack plan as UK's David Lammy flies to USA
Trump considering Iran attack plan as UK's David Lammy flies to USA Sir Keir Starmer convened a COBRA meeting to discuss the situation in the Middle East U.S. President Donald Trump The Foreign Secretary is set to meet his US counterpart in Washington after Donald Trump said he was mulling whether to join Israeli strikes against Iran. David Lammy and secretary of state Marco Rubio will discuss the Middle East as potential American involvement in the conflict looms. It comes after Sir Keir Starmer convened a Cobra meeting of senior ministers on Wednesday to give updates on ongoing diplomatic efforts and UK support for British nationals in the region. The high-level meeting came on the heels of his return from the G7 summit in Canada, at which he and other world leaders reiterated their 'commitment to peace and stability'. But the US president, who left the summit a day early, told reporters outside the White House he was considering strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. He said: 'I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Israel and Iran have been exchanging fire for days after air strikes, which Tel Aviv said were aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iranian officials insist the country's nuclear programme is peaceful, and claim Israel has caused hundreds of civilian casualties. The group Human Rights Activists, based in Washington, said Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people with 263 of them identified as civilians. The Israeli military said Tehran and other areas of Iran were being targeted during the latest round of airstrikes on Thursday, warning people in a post on X to evacuate the area around the Arak heavy water reactor, about 155 miles south west of the capital. Iranian state television said the reactor had been attacked, but had been evacuated and there was 'no radiation danger whatsoever'. The Soroka Medical Centre in Beer Sheba, the main hospital in southern Israel, received 'extensive damage' after being hit by an Iranian missile, according to a spokesperson for the hospital. Article continues below Tensions are now ratcheting up between the US and Iran, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejecting Mr Trump's call for surrender and warning that any American military involvement would result in 'irreparable damage' to the US. The Foreign Secretary's talks in Washington will cover the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, as well as the UK-US trade deal, parts of which were finalised by Sir Keir and Mr Trump at the G7. Meanwhile, nuclear talks with Iran and senior diplomats from the UK, Germany and France as well as the EU will take place in Geneva on Friday, a European official told the Associated Press. In his comments outside the White House, Mr Trump had suggested the US could still hold talks with Iran. 'I can tell you this, Iran has got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate,' he said. He said 'it's very late to be talking', but 'we may meet'. If the US decides to go ahead with strikes, it could seek to use the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, which the UK would reportedly need to sign off on. Under the recently agreed deal to hand back the Chagos Islands, the UK leases the base from Mauritius, while the US pays for its operating costs. Sir Keir had played down the prospect of US intervention, telling reporters at the G7 that 'nothing' he had heard from the president suggested Washington was poised to get involved. Asked whether the Prime Minister was confident that Mr Trump would not involve US forces in the conflict, a Number 10 spokesman on Wednesday said the UK's position was still that 'we want to de-escalate rather than escalate'. The US State Department has started evacuating non-essential diplomats and their families from the American embassy in Israel. The US is also making plans for evacuation flights and ships for private citizens, the country's ambassador to Israel said. The UK's Foreign Office has evacuated family members of embassy staff from Israel, but has not advised British nationals to leave the country. The department said the evacuation was temporary and a 'precautionary measure', with staff remaining at the embassy in Tel Aviv and the consulate in Jerusalem. Britons have already been advised against all travel to Israel and those already in the country have been urged to register their presence with the embassy. The Foreign Office has also said land borders with Jordan and Egypt remain open, and consular teams are in position to provide assistance to British nationals who choose to leave Israel by land. Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said: 'Our first job is to keep British nationals safe, and our dedicated teams in the region are working around the clock to do this. Article continues below 'We are asking all British nationals in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories to register their presence so that we can share our updates with them and make sure we're giving them the best advice possible.'
Powys County Times
34 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Lammy travels to Washington as Trump weighs strikes on Iran
The Foreign Secretary is set to meet his US counterpart in Washington after Donald Trump said he was mulling whether to join Israeli strikes against Iran. David Lammy and secretary of state Marco Rubio will discuss the Middle East as potential American involvement in the conflict looms. It comes after Sir Keir Starmer convened a Cobra meeting of senior ministers on Wednesday to give updates on ongoing diplomatic efforts and UK support for British nationals in the region. The high-level meeting came on the heels of his return from the G7 summit in Canada, at which he and other world leaders reiterated their 'commitment to peace and stability'. But the US president, who left the summit a day early, told reporters outside the White House he was considering strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. He said: 'I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Israel and Iran have been exchanging fire for days after air strikes, which Tel Aviv said were aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iranian officials insist the country's nuclear programme is peaceful, and claim Israel has caused hundreds of civilian casualties. The group Human Rights Activists, based in Washington, said Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people with 263 of them identified as civilians. The Israeli military said Tehran and other areas of Iran were being targeted during the latest round of airstrikes on Thursday, warning people in a post on X to evacuate the area around the Arak heavy water reactor, about 155 miles south west of the capital. Iranian state television said the reactor had been attacked, but had been evacuated and there was 'no radiation danger whatsoever'. The Soroka Medical Centre in Beer Sheba, the main hospital in southern Israel, received 'extensive damage' after being hit by an Iranian missile, according to a spokesperson for the hospital. Tensions are now ratcheting up between the US and Iran, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejecting Mr Trump's call for surrender and warning that any American military involvement would result in 'irreparable damage' to the US. The Foreign Secretary's talks in Washington will cover the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, as well as the UK-US trade deal, parts of which were finalised by Sir Keir and Mr Trump at the G7. Meanwhile, nuclear talks with Iran and senior diplomats from the UK, Germany and France as well as the EU will take place in Geneva on Friday, a European official told the Associated Press. In his comments outside the White House, Mr Trump had suggested the US could still hold talks with Iran. 'I can tell you this, Iran has got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate,' he said. He said 'it's very late to be talking', but 'we may meet'. If the US decides to go ahead with strikes, it could seek to use the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, which the UK would reportedly need to sign off on. Under the recently agreed deal to hand back the Chagos Islands, the UK leases the base from Mauritius, while the US pays for its operating costs. Sir Keir had played down the prospect of US intervention, telling reporters at the G7 that 'nothing' he had heard from the president suggested Washington was poised to get involved. Asked whether the Prime Minister was confident that Mr Trump would not involve US forces in the conflict, a Number 10 spokesman on Wednesday said the UK's position was still that 'we want to de-escalate rather than escalate'. The US State Department has started evacuating non-essential diplomats and their families from the American embassy in Israel. The US is also making plans for evacuation flights and ships for private citizens, the country's ambassador to Israel said. The UK's Foreign Office has evacuated family members of embassy staff from Israel, but has not advised British nationals to leave the country. The department said the evacuation was temporary and a 'precautionary measure', with staff remaining at the embassy in Tel Aviv and the consulate in Jerusalem. Britons have already been advised against all travel to Israel and those already in the country have been urged to register their presence with the embassy. The Foreign Office has also said land borders with Jordan and Egypt remain open, and consular teams are in position to provide assistance to British nationals who choose to leave Israel by land. Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer said: 'Our first job is to keep British nationals safe, and our dedicated teams in the region are working around the clock to do this. 'We are asking all British nationals in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories to register their presence so that we can share our updates with them and make sure we're giving them the best advice possible.'
