US Conservative Media Divided Over Trump's Iran Strike

US President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran alongside Israel may have led to cracks in the united conservative front presented by mainstream American media. Much of the debate has been centred around whether the US had acted too deferential to Israeli interests. Those arguing that position most prominently include stalwarts like ex-Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, while conservative media personalities like Mark Levin (a current Fox News host) and Ben Shapiro have strongly supported both the American intervention in Iran and collaboration with Israel. Shapiro referred to Kelly as an “absolute unbelievable coward’, and accused her of eliding her criticism of Trump. “You don’t like President Trump? You don’t like what he’s saying? Just say his name, you coward,” Shapiro said. Kelly had reportedly faced a lot of criticism claiming that US service members killed in the ongoing strikes on Iran died “for Iran or for Israel” rather than for the US. ABC News’ Jonathan Karl on Saturday said that Carlson characterised Trump’s attack on Iranian leadership as “absolutely disgusting and evil”, also terming the divided stance of conservative journalists an evidence of a “MAGA divide.” For some observers, the dispute over Iran reflects a deeper fracture within conservative media. Jonah Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Dispatch, told The Guardian that the recent clash over Iran is part of the broader “unravelling of the Trump/MAGA coalition.” He said the same tensions could be seen in conservative criticism of the Trump administration over its handling of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Goldberg noted that while the disputes reflect genuine animosity and serious disagreements, the public clashes also serve a business purpose. For independent media personalities trying to build their brands and attract subscribers, conflict can draw attention and engagement. “I think there is real animosity and serious disagreement among the parties,” he said. “But the food fight also has a reality-TV quality. Conflict drives eyeballs and clicks. I think Ben Shapiro is trying to act like a grown-up, while others treat the vitriol as a feature rather than a flaw. There’s a lot of kayfabe in Trump world and the MAGA right.” The conflict has entered its second week, with heavy strikes reported in Tehran and elsewhere and more than a thousand deaths in Iran, while regional tensions are spreading to countries hosting US forces. US President Donald Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender. Over 1,000 people have lost their lives in Iran.