Republican Support for Trump's War on Iran During the Conservative Political Action Conference

SadaNews - The Republicans at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference showed broad support for U.S. strikes on Iran and expressed their backing for President Donald Trump in an issue that has negatively impacted his popularity and may threaten the party's chances in the upcoming midterm elections scheduled for November, according to Reuters.

Individuals including a prominent Christian pastor, a former advisor to Trump, and Iranian political activists took the stage at the gathering held in Grapevine, Texas, to speak about the moral aspect of the war in front of supporters of the "Make America Great Again" movement.

This support contrasts with the skepticism of many Americans regarding the war's efficacy, which has increased political pressure on Trump to end it after it exacerbated turmoil in global markets. Many Americans say they are uncertain about the war's justifications and are skeptical of the administration's optimistic assessments of military progress.

While Mercedes Schlapp, a senior fellow at the Conservative Political Action Conference, acknowledged that Americans are worried about the potential length of the conflict, she exploited a session attended by two Iranians who were shot by security forces during 2022 protests to defend the war, stating that it would free the Iranian people.

Schlapp, who was an advisor to Trump during his first term, said: "This madness must stop. We need to make Iran free, and we will ensure that America powerfully supports the Iranians."

However, Trump has stopped talking about regime change in Iran, and the recent U.S. and Israeli bombings over the past four weeks have not led to any popular uprising against the Iranian leadership.

The conference is a major annual gathering for Republican politicians and conservative activists, held at a time when voter concerns about the war and rising fuel prices threaten the party's chances of retaining its slim majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in November.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Monday showed Trump's approval rating dropping to 36 percent, the lowest since his return to the White House. However, support among his base remains strong, with 74 percent of Republicans backing the strikes.

Pastor Franklin Graham, one of the country's most famous Christian evangelists, framed the war with Iran in religious terms, telling the crowd at the conference that Trump's decision to go to war against Iran was necessary to maintain the existence of Israel.

Evangelicals are a key part of Trump's political base, and many believe that the modern state of Israel is the fulfillment of a prophecy related to the return of Christ.

Graham said: "He intervened to protect Israel and the Jewish people from what I believe was the threat of nuclear extermination... Thank God for the blessing of President Trump."

Among those present were dozens of Iranian Americans supporting the war. A group of them planned to organize a rally outside the conference venue to show support for Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah of Iran, who hopes to lead a transitional government but struggles to gain Trump's support. Pahlavi is scheduled to deliver a speech at the conference today, Friday.

Nima Boursouhi, whose parents are from Iran, wore a shirt that read "Persians with Trump."

He told Reuters: "It's time for this regime to go after 47 years."