Trump pushes back on Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson criticism of Iran war: 'MAGA is Trump'

President Trump is pushing back on arguments from former Fox News hosts Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson the president's so-called MAGA base does not support his recent air strikes on Iran, saying "MAGA is Trump."

“I have to do what’s right, number one – and you can’t have Iran getting a nuclear weapon. That’s predominant to me,” Trump told independent journalist Rachel Bade on Monday.

“I think that MAGA is Trump – MAGA’s not the other two,” Trump said of Carlson and Kelly. “MAGA wants to see our country thrive and be safe. And MAGA loves what I’m doing — every aspect of it… This is a detour that we have to take in order to keep our country safe and keep other countries safe, frankly.”

Trump said of Kelly's skepticism specifically, "It's all right. I don't mind. She was critical of me for years and I didn’t lose. I won all three times by a lot,” apparently suggesting, as he has previously, that he would have 2020 reelection has the election not been "rigged." 

“Megyn was opposed to me for years when I ran the first time and nothing stopped me,” Trump continued. “And so, you know, some people are against – and they always come back. She came all the way back. But now I guess she maybe doesn’t like the idea of this war, but I do because I have to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of the Iranians.”

Kelly said Monday regarding the Iran war, “Why are we doing this now? What was the catalyst?”

“I don’t think those four service members died for the United States. I think they died for Iran or for Israel,” she added.

“I have serious doubts about what we’re doing. I support the president … I campaigned for the president … But that doesn’t mean … you have to accept another Middle East war without question — and anybody who tells you that can suck it.”

Carlson over the weekend argued that the military campaign was “evil” in a call with ABC News.

Trump said that Carlson “can say whatever he wants; it has no impact on me.”

Carlson, a close ally of Trump and vocal critic of Israel, reportedly lobbied the president against attacking Iran in the days leading up to Saturday’s strikes, The Hill news outlet reported. The war has resulted in the deaths of a number of top Iranian leaders and six U.S. service members.

Trump campaign for reelection in 2024 in part on a platform of "no new wars."