On April 9, 2026, at 5:23 PM EDT, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social labeling several prominent conservative figures as nut jobs and losers. The attack, covered by both Newsweek and NBC News, targeted Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Alex Jones by name. All four had been openly critical of his handling of the war in Iran, and the public fallout marks a significant fracture within the conservative movement.
Trump’s post accused the named figures of no longer representing his political base and suggested they were chasing attention through podcasts and online platforms after losing their television roles. He took personal aim at each: mocking Carlson’s education, revisiting Kelly’s 2015 debate question, criticizing Owens over past comments about the French first lady, and condemning Jones for his claims about the Sandy Hook shooting. Owens responded on X by posting a screenshot of Trump’s insults with the caption: “It may be time to put Grandpa up in a home.”
The immediate trigger for the dispute was Trump’s Truth Social post stating that a whole civilization would die tonight in relation to Iran, which prompted alarm from several conservative commentators. Some called for the 25th Amendment to be invoked, a demand that has also been raised on Capitol Hill, where a House Democrat formally filed articles of impeachment over the president’s conduct. The overlap between Democratic opposition and once-loyal conservative voices citing the same constitutional remedy reflects how quickly the political landscape around Trump has shifted.
The fractures inside MAGA are now fully public and increasingly personal
The responses from each figure went beyond general policy disagreement. Alex Jones claimed on his show that the president’s brain is not doing too hot, and suggested supporters should cut bait on Trump and mobilize against the Democrats. Megyn Kelly stated on her podcast that she was sick of it, and that you do not simply threaten to wipe out an entire civilization. Tucker Carlson used his platform to urge military aides to reject plans involving the killing of Iranian civilians. Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also posted on X, noting the situation did not have to be this way and calling on the administration to put America first.
The argument from Trump’s former allies centers on his 2024 campaign promise of no new wars, which they say the Iran conflict directly contradicts. Trump has framed the conflict as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, insisting that these critics are not actually MAGA and do not understand how to make America great again. The dispute reflects a deeper tension over what the movement stands for beyond electoral politics, with the Iran war serving as the breaking point for a coalition that held together through two elections.
Public polling adds pressure to the internal discord. Trump’s approval rating sits at approximately 40 percent against a 56 percent disapproval, according to a New York Times aggregate, with independent voters and men both showing weakness. Voters have cited rising costs of living, gas prices, and food prices as concerns. The administration has also drawn scrutiny for economic moves tied to the conflict, including Trump issuing a 50% tariff threat targeting Iran’s military suppliers primarily directed at China and Russia, a move that has added to concerns about economic fallout at home.
Trump doubled down following the blowback, maintaining that the figures he attacked are attention-seekers with no real standing in the movement he built.
Published: Apr 10, 2026 07:15 pm