Trump says MAGA ‘loves’ Iran war, calls supporters ‘smart’ for backing strikes

Trump points to polling and base loyalty, insisting supporters see the Iran strikes as necessary to prevent nuclear risk
President Donald Trump discussed Iran strikes during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump discussed Iran strikes during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump is standing firm on his stance on Iran, insisting his core supporters are fully behind him even as questions continue to swirl around the ongoing conflict.

In a wide-ranging interview this week, the former president made it clear he sees strong backing from the Make America Great Again base, framing the military action as both necessary and widely supported among his voters.



Trump defends Iran strikes and dismisses critics

Speaking on Thursday, March 26, during an appearance on 'The Five,' Trump pushed back on concerns that his aggressive military campaign might be testing the patience of his supporters. Instead, he argued the opposite.

“MAGA loves the fact that they're not going to have somebody with a nuclear bomb over their head,” Trump said, framing the conflict as necessary for national security.

His remarks come as the war nears the one-month mark, a point where political pressure and public scrutiny are both starting to build.

“We have people that are weak, or stupid, or low-IQ people that don't mind having Iran have a nuclear weapon. The MAGA people are smart,” he said.

President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Trump addressed support for the Iran war during a White House Cabinet meeting in Washington, DC (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Pressed by host Greg Gutfeld on how he would respond to voters who supported him expecting fewer foreign conflicts, Trump stayed firm. “You can't let a mad man, or you can't let a mad ideology, have a nuclear weapon,” he replied.

Polls show strong MAGA support but divide GOP

Trump pointed to polling data to support his claims, noting that support among MAGA-aligned Republicans remains extremely high. According to the figures he referenced, about 90% of MAGA supporters back the war, with only a small fraction opposed.

At the same time, the numbers reveal a more complicated picture within the broader Republican Party. Among Republicans who do not identify as MAGA, support drops to 54%, while roughly 36% oppose the strikes.

That gap suggests that while Trump’s core base remains loyal, there are growing differences within the GOP over how far the US should go in Iran.

The poll also found that about 30% of Americans identify as part of the MAGA movement. Trump, however, argued that its influence goes far beyond that.

“I think MAGA's almost the whole Republican Party, you want to know the truth,” he said. “Almost every single person that I endorse wins.”

President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump spoke during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington on March 26, 2026 (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump links Iran war to US strength and global power

Beyond domestic politics, Trump framed the Iran campaign as a way to project American strength on the world stage. He described the military action as a strategic move to reinforce US dominance.

“In order to keep our country great, I said, ‘We're going to take a fairly short detour, we're going to show everybody that there's nobody even coming close to us militarily—nobody even comes close. We have the greatest weapons. We have the strongest military,’” he said.

He also suggested that his current standing with supporters is stronger than ever, pointing to what he described as overwhelming approval within his base.

“I think I'm more popular than I ever have been,” Trump said, adding that some polls showed near-unanimous backing among supporters.

“And the reason is, they like that I'm protecting our country from lunatics with a nuclear weapon,” he said.

RELATED TOPICS US STRIKES IRAN

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Admiral Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, wrote in a letter that Iran is benefiting from being able to track the outcome of its attacks using the footage
3 hours ago
Subpoenaed to testify under oath by Sen Rand Paul, Dr Anthony Fauci repeatedly refused to answer questions from lawmakers
3 hours ago
Anthony Fauci cited legal counsel before refusing to answer 111 questions, while Republicans argued Joe Biden's pardon removed that protection
4 hours ago
Trump's remarks came hours after Anthony Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a Senate hearing
5 hours ago
John Fetterman said he was the only Democrat to publicly reject criticism of Israel during his meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu
5 hours ago
Trump said the renovation will add more than 5 million square feet of new space and replace the airport's existing C and D concourses
5 hours ago
Stephen Miller said Donald Trump questioned Covid-19 restrictions, arguing he challenged public health policies from the start
6 hours ago
Dr Anthony Fauci accused Committee Chairman Sen Rand Paul of being 'obsessed' with prosecuting him
7 hours ago
A petition urged organizers to bar Zohran Mamdani from the 9/11 memorial, citing concerns over his views and the event's shared American values
8 hours ago
John Cornyn said he will not back Todd Blanche's nomination unless the Justice Department revises its proposed settlement
9 hours ago