War with Iran: Day 18

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Welcome to Nightline.

This is a special edition.

I'm Juju Chang.

On this episode, MAGA and the War.

Are there fault lines in President Trump's base over the Iran War?

I'm as MAGA as it gets.

Just because President Trump says something doesn't make it right.

Some high-profile Trump supporters like podcaster Joe Rogan speaking out.

Just seems so insane based on what he ran on.

We check back in with the 2024 Trump voter for his take on the mission.

You said that you were looking forward to peace in the Middle East.

What do you say now?

Top US counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigns over Trump's Iran War.

The director of the National Counterterrorism Center announced his resignation on Tuesday,

citing his concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran.

And saying in a social media statement,

Iran posed no immediate threat to our nation.

While the conflict in Iran continues to rage on, we will shift focus each day to this single topic.

War with Iran.

Nightline's special coverage continues.

Tonight is Dave 18.

Stay with us after the break.

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Americans deeply divided over the country's war with Iran.

Now in its third week.

As voices of support and dissent rise.

The discord reaching even some staunch supporters of President Trump.

Does Operation Epic Fury have the power to crack the president's usually rock solid

maga base?

I don't want war.

I don't want.

She lost a human life.

But I have to trust in the president right now.

I have to.

Doug King is the kind of Trump supporter whose faith in the commander in chief is unwavering.

What do you make of the possible impact of a long protracted war?

I have total faith in our military and I don't think Iran stands a chance.

While there are some cracks appearing in maga world over the war.

Doug, a decades-long member of the United Auto Workers Union based in Michigan, is standing firm.

They're actually a national company.

I first met Doug just before the 2024 election.

He devoted both for Obama and Trump in the past.

How do you feel like you've been in the last four years?

I haven't been as well as I was four years ago.

I'm actually worried about losing my job again.

And the price of groceries are high, the price of cars are high.

Just after Trump's re-election, he told us he felt hopeful.

I look forward to Trump bringing back the United States economy and I look forward to peace in the Middle East.

When we last spoke with you in 2024, you said that you were looking forward to peace in the Middle East.

What do you say now?

I still am looking forward to peace in the Middle East.

I think at some point you have to deal with Iran.

And wait, do you wait till I get stronger and stronger?

On day 18 of the war in Iran, strikes continued in the capital of Tehran.

Israeli forces killed Ali Laryani, who many believe was acting as Iran's de facto leader.

And here in the U.S., President Trump's top counterterrorism official resigned.

The highest profile administration member to quit over opposition to the war.

U.S. Army veteran Joe Kent writing,

I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.

So far, 13 American service members have been killed and at least 200 wounded.

It's been over two weeks since the Pentagon launched the initial attack with Israel,

killing Iran's top leaders, including the ruling Ayatollah.

Iran retaliating with drone attacks on neighboring Gulf countries,

U.S. targets in the region, including American embassies,

and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.

Spiking gas prices and threatening the global economy.

What do you make of the fact that gas prices are spiking?

For me, talking about gas prices seems a little bit selfish because people are dying.

But I'm hoping that this doesn't drag on and it isn't a big drag on the economy.

The administration's timeline for the military mission against Iran shifting.

From the beginning, we projected four to five weeks.

We're achieving major strides toward completing our military objective.

And some people could say they're pretty well complete.

We will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated.

But we do so. We do so on our timeline.

Many in the president's party back his decision,

according to a recent poll, 85% of Republicans support military action against Iran.

Still, from the onset, there have been high-profile detractors,

like conservative host Megan Kelly on her serious XM show.

No one should have to die for a foreign country.

I don't think those four service members died for the United States.

Popular podcaster Joe Rogan, who endorsed President Trump in the 2024 election,

now puzzled by his actions.

It just seems so insane based on what he ran on.

I mean, this is why a lot of people feel betrayed, right?

He ran on no more wars and these stupid senseless wars.

And then we have one that we can't even really clearly define why we did it.

And Kentucky Congressman Tom Massey, a staunch Republican,

questioning the reasoning for war.

We've been given three or four reasons.

Last summer, it was to degrade their nuclear capability into the Stone Ages.

And we were told that objective was met.

So they can't use that excuse now.

Natalie Winters is a rising voice in the MAGA movement,

often appearing with Steve Bannon on his war room podcast.

I mean, I don't think you can come away with any other conclusion

than that the messaging is all over the place.

She's part of the splintering within the MAGA coalition.

Now critical of the U.S. strikes in Iran.

We don't need to continue sinking blood, treasure and war American lives

to bring about a regime that we don't even necessarily know

that they would want to abandon their nuclear desires.

My point is, it's okay to speak out against issues that are,

I think, pretty antithetical to what the America First movement is about.

Winters says since voicing her opinions,

she's been surprised by online backlash from other MAGA supporters.

Certainly, never been called a Trump trader before.

I miss MAGA's against a hosted war and when Steve Bannon went to prison.

So it's interesting to see that the people turn rather quickly,

just because President Trump says something doesn't make it right.

If we had just done nothing,

I can't imagine what would have happened.

How many more citizens they would feel,

or how close they could be to having a nuclear weapon.

North Carolina Republican voter Beverly Nathan

helped campaign for President Trump in her democratic leaning county.

In her view, the war in Iran aligns with his America First doctrine.

I promise to keep us safe,

I promise to keep us economically wealthy.

I believe that eliminating a fear and a threat

does make America First policy.

As for Doug, he tells me he hopes for a limited conflict with Iran.

I'm hoping that they have a great plan and this is going to be quick.

I don't want to see this drag on for a long period of time.

Coming up, a closer look at why top US counterterrorism official

and Trump ally Joe Kent says he had to resign.

The lie he says the president is operating under

and what the president is now saying about him after the break.

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Old friendships, buried cash,

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Welcome back.

Why would Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center

and a staunch Trump ally resign over the war with Iran?

ABC's senior political correspondent Rachel Scott breaks it down

and tells us what the president is saying now.

Tonight, the administration's top counterterrorism official,

resigning in protest over President Trump's war with Iran.

Declaring Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center,

writing,

I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.

It is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel

and its powerful American lobby.

Kent accusing Israel of a misinformation campaign to deceive Trump

and to believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States.

And that should he strike now, there was a clear path to swift victory.

This was a lie.

President Trump, who has long supported Kent's political career

despite Kent's controversies and past associations with anti-Semites,

today brushing off his resignation.

And I always thought he was a nice guy,

but I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security.

I didn't know him well.

Today, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee,

Mark Warner, saying Joe Kent's record is deeply troubling.

But on this point, he is right.

There was no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran.

It comes as the president lashes out at America's NATO allies

for refusing his demand to help reopen the street of her moves.

More than two weeks after President Trump launched the war himself.

Germany declaring it's not our war.

We can't be at every place to support a war which we didn't start it.

From the UK, a similar message.

And today, French President Emmanuel Macron.

Saying France will never take part in operations to open our library

the street of her moves in the current context.

After calling for Europe's help, tonight the president's saying

he doesn't need it after all.

Our thanks to Rachel.

Join us tomorrow for another special edition of Nightline,

war with Iran.

Our show was born during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979.

We were there then.

We are still here now.

If you like this podcast, let us know with a review on Apple podcasts,

Spotify, or wherever you're listening.

Check out Start Here for more on the day's news and stick with us for updates

throughout the day on ABC News Live.

We'll be right back here tomorrow.

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