A Salon columnist wrote Friday that President Donald Trump seems politically isolated as opposition to the Iran war increases within his own coalition. Criticism is coming from MAGA figures, Republican lawmakers, and a senior national security official who resigned over the conflict.
In a piece published March 20, White House columnist Brian Karem stated that Trump “stands alone and is apparently frightened in his war against Iran.” He argued that the President is losing support from parts of the movement that helped bring him back to office. Karem noted comments from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and other MAGA-aligned voices who have distanced themselves from Trump regarding the war.
The criticism arises as the war enters its third week and the political pressure around it grows. Reuters reported Friday that Trump publicly labeled NATO allies “cowards” for refusing to join efforts related to the conflict and to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global energy. Several U.S. allies stated they would support safe maritime passage only if hostilities end, which shows that Washington has struggled to create the coalition that Trump appeared to want.
Karem’s column also mentioned the resignation of Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who stepped down this week in protest. Reuters reported on March 17 that Kent stated in his resignation letter that Iran posed no imminent threat to the United States, directly opposing the administration’s case for war. Kent’s departure marked the first senior resignation from the Trump administration concerning the conflict.
GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert says she’ll vote NO on $200 billion in funding for the Iran war:
“I’m tired of the industrial war complex getting all our hard-earned tax dollars. We need America First policies.”
Reporter: Should the administration get out of Iran?
Boebert: That’s up… pic.twitter.com/xcN7UgkG2S
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) March 20, 2026
This division has fueled a growing conflict within Trump’s political circle. The Washington Post reported that Kent’s resignation received support from Greene and sympathy from some anti-intervention conservatives who view the war as a departure from Trump’s “America First” message.
The Guardian also noted that Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and Greene have expressed opposition to the war, indicating a rift in the MAGA movement over foreign policy.
Salon’s report indicated that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back against the criticism this week, saying, “Nobody tells him what to do.” The piece presented this remark as part of the administration’s effort to show strength as doubts rise over Trump’s management of the war and his ability to keep allies united both at home and abroad.
Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks against the Iran War:
“Trump never came to America and addressed the nation – why we’d go to war with Iran. We did not vote for this. Here we are in a war with Iran and it doesn’t make any sense… The little girls school is such an outrage.” pic.twitter.com/7vF9o7UJqS
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) March 14, 2026
The disagreement is also occurring amid a worsening military and economic context. Reuters reported Friday that Trump claimed there were no Iranian leaders left to negotiate with after ongoing strikes, suggesting that diplomacy has faded. Meanwhile, the fighting has sent the global energy economy into panic and let to serious talks in the White House about the cost of the ongoing war, with over $11 billion being spent in just the first week.
Karem argued that Trump’s public stance does not match his situation, depicting a President trying to appear confident while facing defections from the nationalist wing that once viewed him as the strongest opponent of new foreign wars. Whether this revolt becomes a lasting divide within MAGA may depend on the duration of the conflict and the extent of the political and economic damage it causes.
