After campaigning on a peace platform to return to the White House, Donald Trump launched a war with Israel against Iran. This contradiction, just months before the midterm elections, could put the American president's camp in a difficult position.

Donald Trump's promise to end the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine has aged remarkably poorly. He trumpeted it throughout the American presidential campaign and, in November 2024, barely elected, he made it a solemn commitment. Despite his goal of ending it "in less than 24 hours," the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow nevertheless entered its fifth year at the end of February. As for the Middle East, the White House occupant, with the help of his Israeli ally, launched a war against Iran, causing panic throughout the region and disrupting international trade.

This new conflict is clearly rejected across the Atlantic: 27% of Americans say they approve of the Israeli-American offensive against the Tehran regime and 43% say they disapprove, according to an Ipsos poll for Reuters.

Above all, Donald Trump is testing his supporters of the Maga (Make America Great Again) movement, who have not hesitated to criticize his choices quite sharply, and several Republicans, who will have to return to the voters in a few months during the midterm elections.

According to the Ipsos survey, conducted before the return on Saturday of the bodies of the six American soldiers killed, barely half of Republicans (55%) approve of the strikes, 13% disapprove and 32% say they are undecided.

"The Americans don't want this war."

"America is at war. But Americans don't want this war. They didn't vote for it. In fact, they voted for the exact opposite," Rand Paul told Fox News this week.

The Republican senator from Kentucky was the only one on Wednesday to support a Democratic resolution to limit Donald Trump's powers regarding the Israeli-American offensive. In the House of Representatives, two Republicans did the same: Thomas Massie and Warren Davidson.

Other elected officials have indicated that their support could weaken if the war drags on. Interviewed by The Hill, Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett explained that he was "concerned" the operation could turn into an endless conflict, calling on the American people to "remain involved."

Kevin Kiley, elected in California, echoed this sentiment. According to him, "the best possible outcome for the United States and our allies" would be "the swift and effective completion of the mission."

Skepticism isn't confined to Congress. On social media, members of MAGA and ideological supporters of Donald Trump are vocal. Former Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example, condemned the strikes.

The antisemitic and white supremacist podcaster Nick Fuentes has stated that he will vote Democrat this November. "Trump betrayed the supporters of Maga and the 'America First' slogan," he declared on X. "If you continue to vote (for the Republicans) after they dragged us into a war with Iran, then you'll vote for absolutely anything?"

The American president has "a maximum of one month"

The war “is not being waged in the name of national security. It is Israel’s war,” former Fox News host Tucker Carlson asserted, calling Iran’s attack “absolutely repugnant and malicious.” Conversely, Laura Loomer praised the American operation. “I would defend the United States and Donald Trump tooth and nail,” she wrote on X.

Interviewed by ABC News, Natalie Winters, White House correspondent for Steve Bannon's War Room podcast, believes the US president has "a maximum of one month" to avoid alienating his voters. However, she laments, "no public comments have been made in recent days to reassure me that this conflict will not escalate (into an endless war)."

“We love Trump, but it’s legitimate to ask for clarification,” says Natalie Winters. “If this degenerates into another endless conflict, that’s not what we voted for,” she summarizes.

In early March, Pete Hegseth declined to specify the expected duration of operations against Iran, but rejected the idea that the United States was getting into a "quagmire." "President Trump has complete discretion to discuss how long this might take or not. Four weeks, two weeks, six weeks. It could increase, it could decrease," he said.