Trump lashes out at conservative critics over Iran war stance

President Donald Trump launched a fierce attack on Thursday against prominent conservative media figures who have criticized his handling of the conflict with Iran. In a lengthy post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump targeted former Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, right-wing commentators Candace Owens and Alex Jones, and ex-Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Trump called them “low IQs,” “losers,” and “nut jobs,” accusing them of seeking to exploit the MAGA movement for personal gain. “They’re stupid people, they know it, their families know it, and everyone else knows it, too!” he wrote. He also disparaged their professional records, saying they had been “thrown off Television, lost their Shows, and aren’t even invited on TV because nobody cares about them.”

The president singled out each critic with personal insults: he said Carlson “should see a good psychiatrist,” called Owens “crazy,” described Jones as saying “some of the dumbest things,” and recalled Kelly “nastily” questioning him about past remarks on comedian Rosie O’Donnell. Owens responded by posting Trump’s message on X, adding, “It may be time to put Grandpa up in a home.” Jones accused Trump of dementia and said, “Trump’s mad that he got set up by Israel.”

The rift among conservatives has deepened since late February, when Trump authorized strikes against Iran alongside Israel, a move that contradicted his campaign promise of “no new wars.” Critics from the right have condemned the escalation, with Carlson urging military aides to defy orders to kill Iranian civilians, Owens labeling the administration “satanic” and calling for Trump’s removal, Kelly expressing disgust over threats to “wipe out an entire civilization,” and Jones advocating for invoking the 25th Amendment.

Trump’s threat to destroy Iran’s “whole civilization” if a deal was not reached sparked widespread backlash, including from Democrats and some Republicans. The conflict has also contributed to rising oil prices and economic concerns. Despite the criticism, Trump defended his approach, stating, “MAGA is about WINNING and STRENGTH in not allowing Iran to have Nuclear Weapons. MAGA is about MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” He accused his former allies of misunderstanding his platform and claimed, “THE UNITED STATES IS NOW THE ‘HOTTEST’ COUNTRY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!”

Polling indicates that most Americans, including Democrats and independents, oppose the war in Iran, though many Republicans support it. The controversy has coincided with a decline in Trump’s approval ratings to record lows.