President Trump fired back hard at podcaster Tucker Carlson Monday after Carlson suggested Trump’s presidency would collapse if the United States were drawn into a conflict with Iran. The war of words escalated quickly, turning a simmering history of mutual distrust into a full-blown public rift.

The dustup began during Carlson’s appearance on Steve Bannon’s War Room, where he issued a dire prediction: “If Trump takes us to war with Iran, it’s over. That will end his presidency.” While Carlson said he “really loves Trump” and called him a “deeply humane person,” he doubled down on his stance that a military campaign in the Middle East would “scuttle the USS America on the shoals of Iran.”

Trump, who was in Canada attending the G7 Summit, didn’t hold back when reporters asked him about Carlson’s remarks. Standing beside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump dismissed Carlson’s concerns and took a personal swipe at the former Fox News host. “Kooky Tucker Carlson needs a bigger audience if he wants to play general,” Trump quipped. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Shortly after the press gaggle, Trump followed up with a Truth Social post: “Can someone please explain to Kooky Tucker Carlson that Iran must NEVER be allowed to have nuclear weapons? NEVER!”

This isn’t the first time Trump and Carlson have butted heads. Back in 2021, Carlson was caught texting a colleague, saying, “I hate [Trump] passionately.” Despite public appearances of friendliness in recent years, that comment has lingered in the background, and Monday’s dust-up suggests the rift never truly healed.

Carlson, for his part, has long opposed U.S. military entanglements abroad. His fierce isolationist rhetoric intensified with the latest Middle East conflict, which has seen Israel launch a series of preemptive airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. Iran has responded with waves of missiles and drones, while U.S. forces remain on high alert in the region.

Israel has made progress in disabling key elements of Iran’s nuclear program, but even Israeli officials admit they can’t do it alone. National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told Channel 13, “There’s no way to destroy a nuclear programme by military means,” signaling a potential need for American involvement to finish the job.

That’s where the tension lies. Trump has long vowed that Iran will “never have a nuclear weapon.” As tensions escalated over the weekend, Trump refused to sign onto the G7’s lukewarm joint statement urging de-escalation. Instead, he issued his own ominous warning: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”

Late Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump was cutting short his trip to the G7 Summit and returning to Washington to meet with his national security team. RedState’s Susie Moore reported that the decision was made after the president received new intelligence regarding Iran’s capabilities.

The clash between Carlson and Trump has exposed a growing divide in the conservative movement over America’s role on the world stage. Carlson represents the populist, non-interventionist wing wary of endless wars. Trump, meanwhile, is balancing a tough-on-Iran posture with his own promise to avoid costly foreign entanglements.

But if Carlson thought Trump would heed his warning, he was clearly mistaken. Trump’s response—both verbal and strategic—suggests he’s not backing down. Instead, he appears more resolved than ever to finish what Israel started. Whether that leads to direct U.S. military action remains to be seen, but the political fallout is already underway.

As of now, Carlson has yet to respond to Trump’s verbal barrage. But with the Middle East on fire and Washington’s political elite split on how to respond, this is unlikely to be the last chapter in their battle. One thing is clear: Trump isn’t taking advice from the podcast class—especially not from someone he now openly mocks.