Who or what is driving President Donald Trump’s decision on Iran? Israel, AIPAC or as he suggested in his brief but dramatic statement to the nation Saturday night, “God”?
Is he playing multi-dimensional chess or is he being played?
The president isn’t saying but the talking heads, both MAGA and anti-MAGA, are having a field day.
UPDATE: President Trump announced at 6:02 p.m. on June 23, 2025 a "Complete and Total" ceasefire between Israel and Iran. [See post below].
There are indications from his words, tariff policies and other actions that Trump sees militant Islam and the Chinese Communist Party as the two major threats to the U.S. and world peace. But his approach in both his administrations to rogue adversaries would appear to follows the Christian prescription: “Love your enemy” (Matthew 5:43–44).
Whether dealing with North Korea's Kim Jong-Un, the Chinese Communist Party's Xi Jinping or representatives of Iran's "Supreme Leader," Trump offers public praise and assurances of support but talks tough behind closed doors.
The president almost always leads with win-win scenarios.
So far Trump has, for the most part, weathered the storm of anti-war MAGA voices in the wake of the U.S. bombing of three key Iranian nuclear sites.
That could change, however, if a further escalation occurs, particularly if it involves U.S. boots on the ground in a war with Iran.
"After urging the president to stay out of the burgeoning war between Israel and Iran, some of Mr. Trump’s most vocal anti-war backers viewed his order to drop 14 'bunker buster' bombs and hundreds of missiles on Saturday night as a one-and-done move that will bring peace to the region by disabling Iran’s nuclear capabilities," Susan Ferrechio wrote for The Washington Times on June 22.
“This is a surgical strike, operated perfectly,” said Turning Point Action CEO Charlie Kirk, a leader of the MAGA youth faction who has voiced opposition to U.S. military involvement in the Middle East. “President Trump acted with prudence and decisiveness.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a vocal opponent of bombing Iran prior to Saturday, stated in a post to X: “I can … support President Trump and his great administration on many of the great things they are doing while disagreeing on bombing Iran and getting involved in a hot war that Israel started.”
Trump's post to Truth Social will further test his standing with the anti-war MAGA crowd:
“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” Trump wrote. “MIGA!!!”
The MAGA anti-war faction hope Trump will stick to his promise to keep U.S. troops out of “endless wars.”“God Bless President Trump. He is showing his wisdom,” Matt Gaetz, a television host and former congressman who is among the loudest anti-war voices in Trump’s base, said after the president on Thursday gave Iran yet another chance to come to a nuclear deal without any bombs dropping.
Ferrechio noted: "Two days after Gaetz praised the president’s restraint, Trump ordered the U.S. military to bomb three of Iran’s underground nuclear facilities in a surprise attack."
Gaetz posted to X after the U.S. attack on Iran: “Just remember: every regime change war has been extremely popular at the start. But the historical trajectory isn’t good.”
Alex Jones, who has 4.4 million followers on social media, said Trump's order to bomb Iran may have launched World War III.
He made the statement after Russian Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said on X that “a number of countries” are prepared to supply Iran with nuclear warheads.
“This is escalating so incredibly fast,” Jones said. “Trump is being maneuvered into this.”
I served on the National Security Council under President Clinton. I was Joe Biden’s Deputy Staff Director of the Senate foreign Relations Committee. I voted for Kamala Harris and have been a vocal critic of many dangerous and undemocratic actions taken by President Trump.
But… — Jamie Metzl (@JamieMetzl) June 22, 2025
