One-time MAGA favorite Tucker Carlson has got President Donald Trump’s base wrong when it comes to the pundit’s belief that it doesn’t back the administration’s tough approach to Iran in the escalating war with Israel.
In a timely survey from Cygnal shared with Secrets, most Republicans and especially the president’s MAGA base believe that Jews are mistreated in the world, and they are the first to raise concerns about growing anti-semitism.
According to Cygnal pollster Brent Buchanan, “83% of Trump voters are concerned about rising anti-semitism. Trump voters are the most likely at 55% to say the Jewish people aren’t treated fairly. Tucker is just wrong on this one as to where Trump’s base is.”
Carlson has recently gotten himself sideways with Trump, who has criticized war mongers in his party but also backs Israel’s effort to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities and leadership quickly.
Appearing on Steve Bannon’s WarRoom this week, for example, he said that Trump’s presidency will essentially end if America gets involved in a war with Iran on behalf of Israel.
Trump on Monday cut short his participation in the annual Group of Seven economic summit hosted by Canada so that he could manage the U.S. response to the Middle East war from the White House.
The Cygnal poll, taken as tensions were peaking with Israel and Iran, and attacks on Jews in America were increasing, showed that GOP voters are the most concerned about Jews and how they are treated, while the Democrats, once a big defender of Israel, are now more concerned about the treatment of Arabs.
Key findings from Cygnal:
— Republicans said Jewish (57%), white (40%), and native American (38%) people were treated most unfairly.
— Democrats said black (73%), Palestinian (70%), and native American (70%) peoples were treated most unfairly.
— Older voters are 10 points more likely than those under 55 to say Jewish people face unfair treatment.
— Overall, 82% of likely voters say they are concerned about rising antisemitism.
Cygnal’s Buchanan told Secrets on Tuesday, “Tucker’s assessment of where Trump’s base is at on the Israel-Iran war is just wrong. If you look at the data from our latest national poll, 83% of the president’s base is concerned about rising anti-semitism in the U.S., and they’re the most likely to say, at 55%, that Jewish people are the group they see as being treated the most unfair.”
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What’s more, he told us, “Voters connect these anti-semitism concerns at home with Trump’s current support for Israel’s actions against Iran. His base also sees this as yet another instance where he has kept his promises to support Israel and disallow Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“Tucker’s assertion doesn’t square with the data nor signal a presidency-ending quagmire.”