Donald Trump Jr. Opposes Iran War Behind Closed Doors, Privately Shared His Views With the President: Report (UPDATED)

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Editor’s note: The story has been updated to include a comment from the White House.

Donald Trump Jr. or Don Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, has reportedly opposed the ongoing war with Iran in private.

Trump Jr. has repeatedly criticized the war from the beginning and also communicated his position to his father, The Atlantic reported on Tuesday, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

He has long questioned foreign intervention and resisted another U.S. military conflict in the Middle East, highlighting growing disagreements within the MAGA movement over “America First.” Trump Jr. was also close to the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who opposed the Iran war, according to the report.

Don’t Miss:

“Don has kept his views on the subject private, as he would never publicly break with his dad on an issue like this,” a person close to Trump Jr. told the publication.

A White House spokesperson told Benzinga that “Iran has been decimated, and one way or the other, the conflict in Iran will be over very soon. President Trump holds all the cards and will do whatever is best for the United States.”

Notably, during the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump Jr. portrayed his father’s foreign policy as focused on keeping the U.S. out of another Middle East war.

In April 2024, he posted on X, “Times like these should make us all realize how lucky we were to have Trump, his strength and his resolve.”

Remember when they said Trump would get us into a full-blown war with Iran?

Times like these should make us all realize how lucky we were to have Trump, his strength and his resolve.

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 13, 2024

The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.

Iran War Strains Budgets, Hurts Trump’s Rating

Trump Jr.’s reported opposition follows earlier warnings from inside the administration about expanding the conflict. In July, Vice President JD Vance and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine reportedly cautioned Trump against escalation. Caine cited depleted U.S. munitions stockpiles and other risks.

Rising gas prices, fueled by energy-market disruptions, are straining household budgets and intensifying the political fallout, due to which public support for the war has also weakened. Diesel averaged $6.3174 per gallon on Tuesday, while gas prices stood at $4.26 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA)

Trump’s approval rating fell to 31%, its lowest level across both presidential terms, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. His rating has declined from 47% after his inauguration, as economic concerns and elevated gasoline prices as a result of the war weigh on voters. Democrats held a 40%-33% advantage over Republicans on handling the economy ahead of the midterm elections.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) also blamed Washington’s foreign conflicts and climate policies for driving up energy costs, calling for a restrained foreign policy and fewer restrictions on domestic energy production to ease the burden on American families.

Economist Mark Zandi estimated that the Iran war has added nearly $2,000 to the costs faced by the average American household since February, totaling $265 billion nationwide.

Image via Shutterstock

Read Next:

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

EquityMultiple

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000 , with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

Skybound Entertainment

Entertainment franchises can become valuable long-term assets when they successfully expand across multiple platforms. Skybound Entertainment, the company behind The Walking Dead and Invincible, develops original intellectual property that spans comics, television, film, video games, merchandise, and licensing. With more than 250 IPs in its portfolio and a strategy focused on retaining franchise rights while scaling successful stories across media, Skybound offers investors exposure to the growing entertainment and creator economy through a private company rather than traditional public market investments.

American PowerGen

As artificial intelligence drives a surge in electricity demand, reliable power generation is becoming a critical part of the technology ecosystem. American PowerGen is developing natural gas-fired power plants in Texas, a fast-growing market fueled by AI data centers, manufacturing expansion, and population growth. By advancing projects through permitting, fuel supply, and grid interconnection, the company is positioning itself to help meet rising energy needs while offering investors exposure to the infrastructure supporting the next wave of AI and industrial growth.

Bito

As AI coding tools take on more of the work traditionally done by developers, companies are facing new challenges around code quality, context and the rising cost of AI-powered development. Bito is building software designed to help AI coding agents better understand complex codebases while helping companies control AI development costs. Founded by former PubMatic executives, Bito has raised more than $10 million from institutional and individual investors and is now raising additional capital through a Wefunder offering, giving investors an opportunity to invest in a company targeting an emerging need within the rapidly expanding AI software market.

DLP Capital

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and traditional real estate opportunities, DLP Capital provides access to private real estate strategies focused on workforce housing — homes for essential workers such as teachers, nurses, firefighters, and police officers. With more than $5.5 billion in assets under management and a community of 4,000+ accredited investors, DLP Capital gives investors access to real estate strategies designed around the growing need for housing that working Americans can actually afford.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

Tags: