The US missile strike on a Syrian air base has been welcomed by many of the country's allies, including the UK, France and Australia, as well as Republicans often critical of the Trump administration such as senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham.
But the complexity of the issue for President Donald Trump, and the danger it holds for his future prospects of re-election, are illustrated by the reaction from some of his own support base, for whom Trump’s intervention in the Syrian conflict is an ill-advised betrayal of his “America First” campaign promise.
Ann Coulter, the conservative social commentator and author of In Trump We Trust, tweeted: "Trump campaigned on not getting involved in Mideast. Said it always helps our enemies & creates more refugees. Then he saw a picture on TV."
Trump campaigned on not getting involved in Mideast. Said it always helps our enemies & creates more refugees. Then he saw a picture on TV.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 7, 2017
Meddling in the Middle East has destroyed every president who’s ever tried it.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) April 7, 2017
I guess Trump wasn't "Putin's puppet" after all, he was just another deep state/Neo-Con puppet.
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) April 7, 2017
I'm officially OFF the Trump train.
It's been fun lads, but the fun is over. I'll be focusing my efforts on Le Pen, who tried to warn Trump against this disaster.
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) April 7, 2017
#StandWithAssad pic.twitter.com/xiRnI1OXcW
— Richard Spencer (@RichardBSpencer) April 7, 2017
The Syria thing is a good reminder that a lot of Trump supporters are actually stupid, but we ignored them out of solidarity
— Blackpill Cat (@Crisprtek) April 7, 2017
People praising the Syria attack:
— Baked Alaska™ (@bakedalaska) April 7, 2017
-Hillary
-McCain
-Lindsay Graham
-Paul Ryan
-Leftists
People against the attack:
-Real Trump Supporters
President Trump sent a loud, clear, unmistakable message to Russia, Iran, China & North Korea: Don't Mess With USAhttps://t.co/HSUMfTRS9U
— Gary Nabhan (@GPN14) April 7, 2017
She noted: “Media THRILLED that Trump is destroying his presidency”, and said that “Meddling in the Middle East has destroyed every president who’s ever tried it”.
Right-wing commentator Paul Joseph Watson, editor of Infowars.com, tweeted he was "officially OFF the Trump train". "I guess Trump wasn't "Putin's puppet" after all, he was just another deep state/Neo-Con puppet," he wrote.
He added: “It’s been fun lads, but the fun is over. I’ll be focusing my efforts on Le Pen, who tried to warn Trump against this disaster.”
Alt-right leader Richard Spencer tweeted provocatively: "#StandWithAssad". "If Bannon does not resign, I will have lost a tremendous amount of respect for him. #NoWarInSyria" he wrote of Trump's senior adviser Stephen Bannon.
The far-right Twitter account Baked Alaska, which has 154,000 followers, discussed the divisions among Trump supporters, and tweeted:
“People praising the Syria attack:
-Hillary
-McCain
-Lindsay Graham
-Paul Ryan
-Leftists
People against the attack:
-Real Trump Supporters”
But many Trump voters took issue with the criticism and, in a sign of a split in the camp, came out to defend the president. “Sometimes you have to send a message so you don’t have to invade or occupy. This was simply a show of strength to the world. Well done POTUS,” wrote WEEK 11 OF 208/416 @Scottyc11.
For many, jingoistic tendencies appeared to override any impulse that Trump’s move may have been just what the “establishment” would have done.
"President Trump sent a loud, clear, unmistakable message to Russia, Iran, China & North Korea: Don't Mess With USA," wrote Gary Nabhan @GPN14.