Donald Trump Jr. has repeatedly voiced opposition to the war with Iran in private conversations, and made his position known directly to his father, President Donald Trump, The Atlantic reported Tuesday.
Citing two people who have spoken with him directly, the magazine reported that the president's eldest son opposed the war from the outset, when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on February 28. Trump Jr. has long been skeptical of foreign intervention and believes the U.S. should not enter another Middle East war, which he sees as contrary to the "America First" principle.
He has not broken with his father publicly. "Don has kept his views on the subject private, as he would never publicly break with his dad on an issue like this, but I can't imagine anyone who knows Don would be surprised by his personal views on the subject," a person close to Trump Jr. told the magazine.
A spokesperson for Trump Jr. declined to comment. A White House official told The Atlantic: "Iran has been decimated, and one way or the other, the conflict in Iran will be over very soon."
The report comes as the eight-month war has deepened divisions within the MAGA movement, with prominent figures such as Tucker Carlson coming out against it. Polls show the conflict is deeply unpopular: a Pew Research survey this month found that 65% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the war. Republicans fear voter backlash over the war and soaring gas prices could hurt them in the November 3 midterms.
Trump Jr. had previously praised his father online for not going to war with Iran. "Remember when they said Trump would get us into a full-blown war with Iran?" he posted in April 2024, as Iran launched its attack on Israel.
