TL;DR
- Trump supporters at CPAC express trust in the president despite worries over the Iran conflict.
- Concerns about rising gas prices and domestic issues overshadow enthusiasm for Trump.
- Some attendees fear the war could divide the Republican Party ahead of midterms.
- Activists call for the Iranian people to reclaim their country without U.S. troops.
- The future of the conflict remains uncertain as public patience wears thin.
In a scene that could only be described as a conservative circus, the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) unfolded in Grapevine, Texas, with the U.S. war against Iran looming large over the proceedings. Attendees, decked out in their “Make America Great Again” hats, were quick to voice their unwavering support for Donald Trump, while simultaneously wringing their hands over the chaos the conflict might unleash at home.
“If the president ends the conflict soon, if gas prices drop, if no U.S. troops are sent to Iran, and if the Iranian people rise up and reclaim their country, then the war will have been worth it,” said Kyle Sims, a Republican strategist, while sporting a Stetson hat that screamed Texas pride. But let’s be real, that’s a lot of ifs. As the war drags on into its fifth week, the best-case scenario feels more like wishful thinking.
While the love for Trump was palpable, attendees expressed mixed emotions about the war. Sims articulated a sentiment shared by many: “Everyday people are hurting. I don’t think we should put boots on the ground. I don’t want to have another Iraq or Afghanistan.” And who can blame him? The memories of those endless conflicts still haunt the American psyche.
As the conference rolled on, the war was a hot topic of discussion, with some attendees donning hats that read “MIGA”—yes, you guessed it, “Make Iran Great Again.” Franklin Graham, an evangelist and speaker at the event, even chimed in, expressing his lack of concern about the war’s impact on Trump’s political base. “Nobody asked me about it. I don’t have a problem,” he declared, as if that settled it.
But not everyone was so optimistic. Some attendees voiced fears that this conflict could split the Republican Party right down the middle, jeopardizing their chances in the upcoming midterm elections. Ron Eller, a Republican candidate for Congress, lamented the economic fallout, saying, “A lot of it is economically driven. I filled up my truck the other day and it was $120. And it wasn’t even an empty tank.” Let’s face it, folks—people vote with their wallets, and those gas prices aren’t helping anyone’s cause.
Despite the cheers for Trump, activists in the halls were candid about their reservations. They echoed a common refrain: the best outcome would be for the Iranian people to rise up and overthrow their theocratic regime. But so far, that uprising hasn’t materialized, leaving many wondering how long this war will drag on and whether the American public will remain patient.
As Mercedes Schlapp, a former senior White House official, put it during a panel discussion, “A prolonged war is not where I think the American people want to be.” And who could disagree? The prospect of sending American troops into Iran is a bitter pill to swallow, especially when memories of past Middle Eastern conflicts still linger.
Even Steve Bannon, a prominent figure in MAGA circles, warned that the war might just be getting started. He urged attendees to have Trump’s back but to also weigh whether the conflict is worth fighting. “Your sons, daughters, granddaughters, grandsons could be on Kharg Island and holding a beachhead on the Strait of Hormuz,” he cautioned, painting a stark picture of the potential sacrifices ahead.
CPAC remains a fortress of Trump’s political movement, and it was clear that many attendees were all-in for whatever the president decides. Rafael Cruz, the father of Senator Ted Cruz, echoed the sentiment, saying, “We need to cut the head of the snake and make sure the people take over Iran.” Because, of course, nothing screams democracy like foreign intervention.
As the conference wrapped up, the question lingered: How long will the American public tolerate this conflict? Angela Paxton, a Republican state senator from Texas, summed it up best: “Most people can tolerate something for a short period of time when they feel like this is not forever and is for a higher purpose.” But as gas prices rise and the war drags on, that patience may wear thin faster than they think.
So, as Trump supporters rally behind their leader, they’re left grappling with a harsh reality: the cost of war isn’t just measured in dollars and cents—it’s measured in the lives and livelihoods of everyday Americans.
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