The right is openly divided over the Iran war as conservatives gather for CPAC

PBS NewsHour
by Thomas Beaumont, Associated Press
March 25, 2026
3 min read

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Conservative leaders at CPAC are divided over potential military action against Iran amid Trump administration oversight.

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Conservative leaders are gathering at CPAC amid a public rift over potential military action against Iran, with prominent figures in the MAGA movement taking conflicting stances on the issue. Neither President Trump nor Vice President Vance has been publicly announced as speakers at the annual conference, though other high-profile conservatives are scheduled to address attendees. The division on Iran policy reflects broader tensions within the right over foreign intervention and the direction of Republican strategy. With the Trump administration overseeing U.S. foreign policy, these internal disagreements signal potential fault lines that could shape the party's approach to Middle East tensions and broader national security decisions moving forward. The absence of Trump and Vance from the speaker roster itself underscores questions about their own position on the matter.

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