Divided Over Tehran: MAGA in Crisis as Iran War Looms

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Welcome back to The Real 4-1-1. I’m Dr. Chelsea McGee, and, wow, what a week. I know I say that a lot, but this time—airstrikes are lighting up Tehran, bunker-buster threats are echoing out of Washington, and we’re staring down a war that, technically, hasn’t even been declared. But it’s already splitting the country right down the middle.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Here’s the thing: while Make America Great Again media is suddenly calling for restraint—yes, you heard that right—others are pushing for escalation, for the U.S. to go all-in. And, as always, the people caught in the crossfire? Iranian civilians, and honestly, American democracy itself.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Because, as we say every week, the story is never just the headline. So today, we’re unpacking the split inside Make America Great Again, the lives under siege in Tehran, and the digital resistance networks that are giving people hope when the bombs start falling. Let’s get into it.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

So, let’s start in D.C., where the Make America Great Again movement—usually a monolith, right?—is at war with itself over what to do about Israel’s strikes on Iran. You’ve got the isolationist camp—Tucker Carlson, J.D. Vance, Steve Bannon—saying, “Don’t get dragged into another Middle East disaster.” And then you’ve got the hawks—Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Lindsey Graham—arguing that this is the moment to take out Iran’s nuclear program, maybe even the regime itself.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

And President Trump? He’s been all over the map. First, he opposed Israel’s plan to strike Iran. Then, after some, let’s call them “spirited” briefings from Netanyahu and his own staff, he shifted to supporting Israel’s attacks, even cutting his G7 trip short to get back to Washington. He went so far as to suggest Tehran should be evacuated—ten million people—sparking rumors that the U.S. was about to jump in with both feet.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

But the White House is denying that, saying the military is still in a defensive posture. Some say Trump’s just using these threats as leverage to get Iran back to the negotiating table. Others think he’s genuinely considering authorizing the use of those massive bunker-buster bombs—the kind only the U.S. has, and the kind that could actually reach Iran’s underground nuclear sites.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

And, you know, I’ve had my own run-ins with local officials who think military action is just a button you push—no consequences, no blowback. I remember, years ago, arguing with a city councilman who wanted to “show strength” after a minor international incident. I told him, “You can’t bomb your way to safety.” He didn’t listen, and, well, here we are, on the edge of something much bigger.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

The split isn’t just in the media. It’s on Capitol Hill, too. Some Republicans are pushing Trump to help Israel finish the job, while others warn that more U.S. involvement would betray the “America First” promise. And, honestly, the polling shows most Americans—Trump voters included—don’t want another war. But the pressure is real, and the stakes are sky-high. Trump even had a disagreement with his director of national Intelligence.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Let’s zoom out. Israel’s been hitting Iranian military and nuclear sites hard—over 20 targets in Tehran alone, including uranium enrichment facilities and missile factories. The Israeli military says they’ve set Iran’s nuclear program back by months, maybe more. But Iran’s not just sitting there. They’ve started firing longer-range missiles from deeper inside the country, after Israeli strikes forced them to move their launchers out of western Iran.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Khamenei, is flat-out rejecting Trump’s demand for “unconditional surrender.” He’s warning that if the U.S. gets involved, there will be “irreparable damage.” And it’s not just rhetoric—Hezbollah, the Whothees Iraqi militias, they’re all threatening to hit U.S. forces if we cross that line.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Meanwhile, the global fallout is already starting. The Strait of Hormuz—where a fifth of the world’s oil passes through—is at risk. Oil exports from Iran have nearly stopped, the rial is in freefall, and there are blackouts in Tehran. Russia and China are watching closely. Russia’s offering to mediate, but, let’s be real, they’ve got their own interests. China’s been flexing in the Pacific, maybe hoping the U.S. gets bogged down in the Middle East so they can push harder on Taiwan or the South China Sea.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

And, look, I know some folks think a “surgical strike” on Iran’s nuclear sites would be quick and clean. But, as we’ve seen in past episodes—remember the steel tariffs, the Ukraine sanctions, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill”—there are always ripple effects. A strike could trigger a regional war, cyberattacks, global recession, even a nuclear arms race. Former Defense Secretary Gates once said that bombing Iran could make a nuclear-armed Iran inevitable. That’s not just theory—that’s the kind of unintended consequence that keeps me up at night.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

But let’s not lose sight of the people living this nightmare. In Tehran, civilians are fleeing, highways are jammed, and those who can’t leave are hunkering down in subway stations or basements. There’s no real shelter system, no evacuation plan. And yet, in the middle of all this, young Iranians—especially Gen Z—are finding ways to connect and support each other online.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

Apps like Discord and WhatsApp have become lifelines. I read about a group of pregnant women in Tehran who started a WhatsApp chat for prenatal yoga, and now it’s a crisis support group. They share breathing techniques, emergency tips, and just… comfort, when the bombs are falling and the internet’s blacked out. The women—one in Tehran, one in San Francisco—are still connected, sharing advice and hope, even as one faces airstrikes and the other faces isolation.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

And Gen Z? They’re using VPNs to get around government blocks, checking in on each other, sometimes falling asleep together on voice chat because it’s safer than being alone. It reminds me of Hurricane Harvey, when my own patients—scattered, scared, cut off—used group texts and Facebook to find medicine, shelter, even just a friendly voice. Digital networks aren’t just about memes and games. In moments like this, they’re about survival, solidarity, and refusing to let fear win.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

And, honestly, that’s the part that gives me hope. Even when governments fail, people find each other. They build new communities, even in the dark. That’s resistance, too.

Doctor Chelsea McGee

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Doctor Chelsea McGee

We’ll be back soon, because, trust me, this story is far from over. Stay safe, stay curious, and keep asking: what’s really going on?