America's emerging anti-war consensus [View all]

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Trump’s anti-war claims blow up in his face after Iran fiasco
Opposition to the president's war with Iran among Gen Z MAGA members could help create positive political change

By Heather Digby Parton
Columnist
Published May 21, 2026 6:45AM (EDT)


(Salon) Although Donald Trump has acknowledged being aware of the term “America First” and its historical context, he has nevertheless called it “a brand-new modern term. I never related it to the past.” Whether that is true or not, the fact is that the slogan is a specific throwback to a particular movement, and perhaps by coincidence — or someone whispering it in his ear — it became the brand name for his foreign policy when, in reality, he didn’t have one.

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Now, as he has, according to Politifact, obtained the dubious distinction of having “authorized the highest number of strikes and targeted the most countries of all the 21st century presidents,” Trump’s earlier embrace of isolationism is coming back to haunt him. And it has resulted in what just might be his only positive contribution to American life.

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The truth emerged during his second term. Trump has spent much of his time blowing up boats in the Caribbean; deposing Venezuela’s president and elevating its vice president; unleashing the National Guard and federal immigration agents in Democratic-led cities throughout the country; saber-rattling against Mexico, Cuba, Canada and Greenland; partnering with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a bloody war of choice against Iran; and threatening a series of war crimes in a bid to destroy its entire civilization.

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But younger members of the president’s MAGA coalition aren’t buying it. POLITICO has reported that Turning Point USA chapters in battleground states are seeing a lot of dissension and dismay among Trump’s Gen Z supporters who believed his “no new wars” pledge. In fact, it was one of the main reasons they voted for him. ....................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2026/05/21/trumps-anti-war-claims-blow-up-in-his-face-after-iran-fiasco/