THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?
SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do).
- The Atlantic reports Donald Trump Jr. has privately opposed the Iran war since its outset.
- Sources say the president’s eldest son communicated his disagreement directly to his father.
- Don Jr. has avoided a public confrontation, but the disclosure exposes a significant disagreement within the America First movement.
LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time).
Donald Trump has plenty of critics when it comes to the Iran war. Democrats, foreign-policy analysts, the usual television commentators — Washington isn’t exactly running short of opinions.
But one of the more interesting voices questioning the conflict reportedly belongs to someone who shares the president’s last name.
Donald Trump Jr.
According to a new investigation by The Atlantic, the president’s eldest son has privately opposed the American war with Iran since the beginning and made his objections known directly to his father.
That’s quite a family dinner conversation.
Don Jr. has long represented the more skeptical, noninterventionist side of the MAGA movement. He’s repeatedly argued that America should resist becoming entangled in foreign conflicts and focus on national priorities.
The reported disagreement therefore isn’t entirely surprising. The surprising part is that the president’s own son is said to have pushed back on one of the administration’s biggest foreign-policy decisions.
A person close to Trump Jr. told The Atlantic that he would not publicly break with his father over the issue.
“I can’t imagine anyone who knows Don would be surprised by his personal views on the subject,” the source said.
Well, that certainly clears up one thing. Apparently plenty of people knew there was disagreement, but the family wasn’t planning to discuss it with the rest of us.
Trump’s decision to enter the conflict has exposed competing instincts within the conservative movement.
One camp argues that confronting Iran militarily is essential to American and Israeli security. Another warns that the United States is once again risking a costly and prolonged Middle Eastern war.
That second position has particular resonance among voters who embraced Trump’s earlier promises to avoid unnecessary foreign military adventures.
Rising energy costs and concerns about the length of the conflict have made the argument even more urgent.
Trump Jr.’s reported position adds an unusual dimension because he has been one of the most visible public champions of his father’s political movement.
The Atlantic’s account is based on conversations with people claiming to be familiar with his views. Don Jr. has not issued a public declaration against his father’s policy, and his spokesperson declined comment.
So this is not the Trump family issuing dueling press releases from opposite ends of Mar-a-Lago.
DBS WIRE SOURCES (I’ve got all day).
- The Atlantic — Donald Trump Jr.’s reported private opposition to Iran war
- Political Wire — Summary of the Atlantic’s reporting
