Why Khamenei and Tucker Carlson Might Be Israel’s Secret Weapon
Behind the scenes of escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, three powerful voices are trying to shape Trump's next move. Here's how their very different messages could be pushing him closer to war.
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As explosions light up Tehran and Israeli jets fly missions deep into Iranian territory, a second battlefield has opened: one of rhetoric, pressure, and personality. At its center: three men who are trying to influence President Trump, each in his own way.
Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, is issuing furious threats: any American attack, he warns, will trigger an "irreversible response." Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson is begging Trump to stay out of it, warning that Iran could destroy both Israel and America in a war nobody wants. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is saying almost nothing publicly, offering praise to Trump and thanks for support, but stopping well short of direct pressure.
Ironically, it may be Khamenei and Carlson, both intending to push Trump away from war, who are doing the most to push him toward it.
Khamenei’s Threats: Fuel to Trump’s Fire?
In recent days, Khamenei has emerged from months of silence to address Trump directly. In televised remarks, he warned that "any U.S. strike will result in damage America cannot recover from." Israel, he added, had committed a "grave mistake" by striking Iranian territory and would pay for it.
These are not idle threats. Intelligence reports suggest that Iranian ballistic missiles have already been aimed at U.S. bases in the Gulf in case Trump decides to intervene directly.
The strategy? Classic deterrence. But there’s a problem: Donald Trump is not a man easily deterred by threats. On the contrary, he tends to escalate in response to being challenged.
As he’s said many times, “you can’t talk to America in the language of threats.” That kind of rhetoric hits his ego, and historically, his response has been to prove his toughness.
In other words, what Khamenei hopes will scare Trump into staying away might be precisely what convinces him to act.
Tucker Carlson’s Warnings: The Reverse Psychology Effect
Then there’s Tucker Carlson.
The ex-Fox News host turned populist influencer has gone full anti-war mode. Broadcasting nightly to millions on X, he warns of "World War III," accuses Trump of taking orders from "foreign governments" (i.e., Israel), and calls for America to cut military support to the Jewish state entirely.
That last point, telling the U.S. to abandon Israel, isn’t just controversial. It's near-taboo in Republican politics. But Carlson is tapping into a real current of isolationist sentiment within Trump’s base.
He’s not alone: Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, and others in the new “America First” right are echoing similar concerns.
The message to Trump is clear: if you go to war, you’re breaking your promise to the voters who brought you back.
But here’s where it backfires.
Carlson hasn’t just disagreed with Trump. He’s insulted him, accusing his administration of "war crimes" and acting like a puppet of Israel.
Trump does not take well to that kind of talk.
Asked recently about Carlson’s criticism, he snapped: “I don’t know what Tucker’s saying. Let him go start his own TV network.” In private, he reportedly called Carlson "crazy."
What began as thoughtful dissent has become personal.
The result? Trump may now feel even more pressure to prove Carlson wrong, not by backing off, but by doing the opposite.
Netanyahu’s Soft Touch: The Strategic Compliment
Amid the shouting, Netanyahu is almost whispering.
Yes, he’s praising Trump and the U.S. support. Yes, he welcomes any help Washington is offering. But he’s not asking for more.
In fact, Bibi is doing something rare: letting Trump come to his own conclusions.
This isn’t naivety, it’s strategy. Netanyahu knows Trump doesn’t like being told what to do. So rather than pushing him into war, he’s stepping back, smiling, and saying “whatever you decide, we’re grateful.”
That alone might be what’s moving Trump the most.
According to one senior Israeli official: “Trump knows what’s needed. We trust his judgment.”
That kind of hands-off messaging avoids triggering Trump’s defensiveness. It lets him feel in control, and potentially more willing to help.
The Verdict: Who’s Winning the Rhetorical War?
Each voice is pulling Trump in a different direction. Khamenei dares him to act. Carlson shames him if he does. Netanyahu flatters and reassures.
But in Trump’s mind, where ego, instinct, and optics often matter more than policy briefings, the winners may not be the ones who think they are.
Khamenei’s threats might provoke the opposite of restraint. Carlson’s pressure might push Trump into defiance. And Netanyahu’s calm tone? It might be what finally gets Trump to act, not out of duty, but because he wants to.
In this war of words, it turns out that the most strategic rhetoric might be the least aggressive one.
If you’ve read this far, let me just say: sorry for the clickbait headline. I wanted to see if the rhetoric works.
Stay tuned.
— Eli