The far-right is abandoning President Trump over his Syria strike
President Trump's base of far-right supporters is not onboard with his decision to order missile strikes in Syria. Shortly after the U.S. launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase Thursday night in response to Tuesday's chemical attack that killed dozens in the northwestern province of Idlib, alt-right pundits and writers tore into Trump.
Some of Trump's most ardent far-right supporters slammed him for straying from his campaign promise to avoid getting involved in further conflict in the Middle East. Others were critical of the fact that Trump did not get approval from Congress before ordering the strike.
Infowars editor Paul Joseph Watson tweeted that Trump was "just another deep state/neo-con puppet." "I'm officially OFF the Trump train," he declared. AltRight.com co-editor Richard Spencer urged Trump to "halt the rush to war," explicitly declaring that the alt-right "is against a war in Syria" and wants "good relations" with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who the U.S. has blamed for Tuesday's chemical attack.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Blogger Mike Cernovich, who calls himself a member of the "new right," warned that Trump's base of support would quickly deteriorate if he further escalated the situation in Syria:
Alt-right Twitter personality Baked Alaska simply had this to say:
Thursday's strike "severely damaged or destroyed Syrian aircraft and support infrastructure and equipment," the Pentagon said. The Syrian military reported the attack killed six people.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Indie film's 'very brief' use of AI sparks backlash and calls for boycotts
Talking Points Did the creators of a new horror movie make a deal with the artificial intelligence devil?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
Today's Big Question The pop star has outsized influence — and that extends beyond the music industry
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel proposes two-month pause in Gaza war in exchange for all Hamas hostages
Speed Read Deal doesn't include an agreement to end war, but might be 'the only path that could lead to a ceasefire', said US officials
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Nato official warns of all-out war with Russia in next 20 years
Speed Read Civilians must prepare for life-changing conflict and mass mobilisation, says military chief
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Rishi Sunak visits Kyiv to announce £2.5 billion in military support for Ukraine
Speed Read Surprise trip comes amid increased Russian bombardment and escalation of Middle East crisis
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea
Speed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Israel preparing to flood Hamas tunnels with seawater
Speed Read IDF pumps could drive out terrorists but critics warn of danger to hostages and Gaza water supply
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacks
speed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages released
Speed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'
Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
By The Week UK Published