Trump's Right Wing is Crumbling.. Will the Iran War Create a Third American Party?

SadaNews - In a development reflecting the widening rift within the conservative movement in the United States, prominent conservative media personality Tucker Carlson announced his intention to help establish a third political party, a move that came after his break with the Republican Party and his sharp criticisms of President Donald Trump regarding the war with Iran.

These developments come at a time when the American political scene is experiencing increasing polarization within the two major parties, amidst widespread debate regarding foreign policy, the relationship with Israel, and the priorities of the U.S. administration.

A Third American Party

In an analysis of the heated political landscape, writer Tim Balk revealed in a report published by The New York Times a fundamental shift in Tucker Carlson's trajectory after he officially announced his plans to contribute to the establishment of a third political party following his definitive separation from the Republican Party.

Carlson, who has been a staunch defender of conservative orientations for three and a half decades and a close ally of President Donald Trump, confirmed in an extensive interview with "Columbia Journalism Review" that his relationship with the president and the party has completely shattered on the rock of the war with Iran.

The New York Times quoted him as saying that the current Republican Party has completely deviated from the principles of "America First," adopting policies that do not reflect the aspirations of the ordinary American citizen. He believes that the United States is in need of a new political project that genuinely seeks to serve the nation's interests, far from the traditional polarization between Republicans and Democrats.

According to the newspaper, Carlson's announcement came at a moment when the two major parties are facing internal turmoil; the Democratic Party is under pressure from its left wing due to its leadership's stance on Israel and the war in Gaza.

Tucker Carlson affirmed that the war on Iran was the rock that undermined his relationship with President Trump and the Republican Party, who has been a staunch advocate for conservative positions in his country.

As for the Republican Party, it suffers—according to Carlson—from increasing divisions due to Trump's handling of the war against Iran, a conflict that many prominent figures of the "America First" movement consider a betrayal of the campaign promises Trump made to avoid involvement in foreign conflicts.

Carlson explained that the party he seeks to help build should focus on domestic issues, believing that there is no real difference between the Republican and Democratic parties on matters of war, funding, and foreign policy.

He also proposed a number of ideas that he believes should form the foundation of the new political project, foremost among them a complete halt to immigration.

He justified this by stating that the American labor market faces increasing challenges, especially with the expansion of artificial intelligence, a vision that The New York Times noted contrasts with the assessments of many economists who do not link immigration to rising unemployment rates as Carlson suggests.

Despite this clear commitment to establishing the new entity, Carlson—according to The New York Times—was keen to deny any personal ambition to run for political office or the presidency, emphasizing that he does not see himself as a competitor to Trump for power, but rather his role is limited to providing intellectual and institutional support for building this alternative.

Carlson's Ideas

In a report by its correspondent Jay Oliver Conroy, The Guardian confirmed that Carlson's new position represents an extension of a trajectory in which his criticisms of the Trump administration have escalated since the outbreak of the war with Iran, as he expressed regret over his previous support for the president in recent months.

He announced that he would not support the Republican or Democratic parties in the upcoming November midterm elections for Congress.

The Guardian noted that the conservative media personality sees that the policies of the Democratic and Republican parties "completely overlap" on issues of war and funding, which transforms the U.S. in his view into something resembling a one-party state disguised as democracy, necessitating the dismantling of this dual dominance.

The newspaper pointed out that Carlson stated that he attempted to speak with Trump regarding intervention in Iran before their relationship soured since then.

Carlson was not the only voice announcing a rebellion against the traditional Republican establishment; writer Owen Scott noted in his report for The Independent a parallel movement led by controversial former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Greene confirmed, in an interview with broadcaster and media personality Piers Morgan, that she is engaged in serious and intensive discussions with leading figures to launch a political party that genuinely focuses on pure American interests, away from the "traps and frameworks" imposed by the two major parties.

She described the current Republican Party as representing an "America Last" agenda, pointing out that the alignment of a group of leaders who fought the existing system could yield the establishment of a political entity attractive to serious parties from both the right and the left.

An Ideological Civil War?

From a broader perspective, analysts Roland Oliphant and Vinita Rini in The Telegraph addressed this crisis, describing it as an "ideological civil war" ignited within the American right alongside the country's preparations to celebrate its independence anniversary.

The report showcased the sharp contrast between the neoconservative movement represented by former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who believes that Washington stopped the war with Iran too early and calls for the necessity to resume military operations to protect Israel, and the "America First" movement represented by Kurt Mills, executive director of "The American Conservative" magazine.

According to the newspaper, Mills considered the last war a "betrayal" of Trump's electoral base and the promises he made, accusing the administration of engaging in a military conflict driven entirely by the desires of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rather than a response to direct American interests.

This deep division was also confirmed by Jeffrey Capsherfis, director of political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington, in an opinion piece published in The Guardian.

Capsherfis explained that Tucker Carlson and his allies represent the isolationist nationalist wing that believes the Republican Party has failed to dissociate itself from the legacy of former President George W. Bush, who led the country into the invasion of Iraq.

The writer noted that the attacks of this isolationist movement are primarily focused on U.S.-Israeli relations and immigration flows, alongside Carlson's increasing tendency towards Christian nationalist rhetoric as a moral framework for politics and his reliance on instinct and intuition in making his political decisions instead of prior strategic calculations.

It can be inferred from reports from these newspapers that the dispute is no longer just about Trump himself, but rather about the identity of the American conservative movement itself, and whether it will continue to adopt a foreign policy based on military intervention and traditional alliances, or move towards a more isolationist approach prioritizing economic, social, and immigration issues.

In this context, Tucker Carlson's and Marjorie Taylor Greene's movements are seen as indicators of rising debate within the American right regarding the future of the Republican Party and its limits in containing competing movements under one political umbrella, even if the idea of establishing a third party at this stage remains closer to a political aspiration than a fully formed project.