Trump Authorizes Strikes on Iran Nuclear Sites Amid MAGA Support, GOP Division

President Donald Trump authorized military strikes on three Iranian nuclear enrichment sites, a decision captured in newly released photos from the White House Situation Room showing Trump and his national security team closely monitoring the operation. Initially divided, the MAGA movement's top influencers have largely rallied behind Trump's actions, supporting the airstrikes as justified efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, provided American ground troops are not deployed. Key figures like conservative activist Charlie Kirk and former Rep. Matt Gaetz praised the strikes as precise and prudent, likening them to Trump's earlier strike on Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and emphasizing a desire to avoid a prolonged war. Republican Senator Tim Sheehy also endorsed the military action, framing it as an end to longstanding hostilities rather than the start of a new conflict. While the MAGA base and many Republicans show support, prominent Democrats oppose the strikes, questioning Trump's legal authority to launch such offensive operations. The swift shift from dissent to support among Trump's base highlights a rally-around-the-flag effect following the first direct U.S. intervention in the recent Israel-Iran conflict.