Heritage president: MAGA tensions over Iran war ‘good’ |
Heritage president: MAGA tensions over Iran war ‘good’
DORAL, Fla. — Tensions over President Trump’s war in Iran within the GOP and Make America Great Again movement are “good,” Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts told The Hill on Thursday at the group’s inaugural security conference.
The head of the influential conservative think tank said it support Trump’s decision to launch the war on Iran. But he said dissent from figures like Joe Kent, the former counterterrorism director who resigned this week over the war, was healthy.
“As it relates to tensions in the movement or disagreements about national security, actually, it’s good that those exist,” he said, criticizing left-wing politics as enforcing “intellectual totalitarianism.”
Kent, both in his resignation letter and in multiple interviews since, argued that Iran posed no imminent threat to America’s security and blamed Israel and its “American lobby” for pressuring Trump into the fight.
Roberts became embroiled in controversy in November for siding with MAGA personality Tucker Carlson for inviting antisemitic commentator Nick Fuentes on his show. Some Heritage staffers revolted after Roberts released a video defending Carlson, sounding the alarm that Heritage was not countering growing antisemitism on the right.
One of Kent’s first moves after resigning was appearing on Carlson’s show. GOP figures, including Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), alleged antisemitism in Kent’s focus on Israel’s influence in his resignation letter.
Roberts spoke to The Hill on the sidelines of the foundation’s security summit in Miami, which was focused on the Western Hemisphere, combating narco-terrorism and China’s influence in the region. The nearly three-week war in the Middle East was not on the official agenda.
“We accept the president, especially at his word about this being of limited duration,” Roberts said when asked about tensions in the conservative movement over the war.
Kent’s resignation, in which he called wars in the Middle East “a trap”, has put a spotlight on divisions in some of the highest ranks of the Trump administration.
Acknowledging pushback, Trump said last week that Vice President Vance was “less enthusiastic” about launching military strikes alongside Israel against Iran and that he is “philosophically a little bit different than me.”
Vance later said that despite his public positions opposing U.S. military intervention, he agrees with Trump’s belief that Iran should never have a nuclear weapon and that he is committed to making the military operation a success.
“We have taken this military action under the president’s leadership,” he said. “I think all of us, whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, should pray for success and pray for the safety of our troops. That’s the approach I’ve taken, making it as successful as possible.”
Roberts aligned himself with Vance’s remarks and said U.S. officials have a duty to execute the president’s vision.
“When the president of the United States, whoever he or she is, says, ‘This is what we’re doing,’ especially if it’s putting our servicemen and women in harm’s way, you salute and move on,” he said.
He added that while Heritage is not “bound by the same loyalty” as administration officials, the organization is supportive of the execution of Trump’s military operation.
“Honest to goodness, I believe he initiated it and has executed it perfectly, including not involving untrustworthy European, quote, unquote allies in the conversation,” he said when asked how Trump is handling the war.
While the U.S. and Israel have succeeded in decapitating much of the Islamic Republic’s senior leadership and destroyed significant amounts of their military capabilities, Iran has caused economic chaos, targeting energy infrastructure and maritime routes, hitting civilian sites in neighboring countries and causing massive disruptions to air travel.
Trump has angrily appealed to NATO allies in Europe to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, calling them “COWARDS” for initially refusing to assist.
Roberts backed up the president’s fury over their initial rebuffs and supported Trump’s decision not to coordinate with European partners beforehand.
He attacked them as likely to have broken confidence with the U.S., “shared the war plans, shared the timing.”
“So I don’t think he had a choice but to move forward, essentially unilaterally, but in conjunction with the Israelis,” Roberts said.
He excluded Baltic countries from his criticisms — Estonia and Lithuania were represented at the conference. And he said he hopes British Prime Minister Keir Starmer can be counted on as a trustworthy American ally.
The United Kingdom on Friday said the US can use British military bases to strike Iranian sites threatening the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told reporters at the White House that the British provided a “late response,” and said the U.K. “should have acted a lot faster.”
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
More International News
Senate passes measure prohibiting preferential airport screening for lawmakers
US speeds up deployment of thousands more Marines, sailors to Middle East
GOP senator suggests 2-step move to break DHS funding deadlock
Judge rules Pentagon press policy under Hegseth unconstitutional
Senate GOP plows forward on SAVE America Act amid pressure from right
The Memo: Frustrated Trump struggles against perception that he’s losing ...
White House seeks to circumvent Schumer on potential DHS funding deal
Trump says US ‘getting very close’ to meeting Iran objectives ‘as we ...
GOP Senate candidate on rising gas prices: ‘Maybe you take one less trip to ...
Obama’s former DHS secretary calls to end shutdown, pointing to Iran threat
Jeffries says Democrats will oppose rule governing spy powers bill
DHS shutdown stretches to 35 days as Democrats block funding bill
Poll shows Paxton beating Cornyn in Texas if Trump doesn’t endorse
Supreme Court revives Mississippi evangelist’s challenge to protest ...
Huckabee Sanders says she was asked to leave restaurant because employees felt ...
Judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit over California egg prices
TSA official: Airport security problem ‘going to get worse before it gets ...
John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award goes to ‘the people of the Twin ...