Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly launched a scathing critique of Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, calling the South Carolina Republican a “homicidal maniac with an unquenchable appetite for violence” as divisions within the MAGA movement erupted over President Donald Trump’s military operations in Iran.
Kelly, host of “The Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM, expressed her outrage after Graham appeared across Fox News, urging broader U.S. military engagement in Lebanon and Cuba and threatening Spain for opposing strikes on Iran.
The clash is the latest sign of what commentators call a MAGA internal split, with leading Trump allies fractured over Operation Epic Fury—the combined U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran that has killed more than 1,200 people and resulted in the deaths of seven American service members in retaliatory attacks.
Graham went on several Fox News shows Sunday and Monday, including interviews with Maria Bartiromo and Sean Hannity, where he voiced steadfast support for ongoing military action. The senator donned “Free Cuba” and “Make Iran Great Again” hats during his segment with Bartiromo, declaring, “the liberation of Cuba is upon us.”
“We’re gonna blow the **** out of these people,” Graham told Bartiromo, vowing Iran’s government would collapse within two weeks.
Kelly broadened her attack beyond Graham’s comments, highlighting his sway over Trump. A Wall Street Journal piece reported Graham traveled to Israel repeatedly to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and intelligence officials who provided Trump with classified material that helped persuade him to approve the strikes.
The former Fox anchor warned South Carolinians that their senator openly put Israel’s interests ahead of America’s. After Graham said he stood “with Israel, to our dying day,” Kelly urged voters to see he was “not with them.”
Kelly repeatedly begged Trump to keep Graham out of his circle, posting “For the love of God this man should never be in Trump’s orbit again” and insisting he be kept at least 20 feet from the president. She also criticized Sean Hannity as a “supplicant to Donald Trump” who would not challenge the president.
Kelly’s stance aligned her with other MAGA figures such as Tucker Carlson and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who have denounced the Iranian strikes. Carlson called the campaign “absolutely disgusting and evil,” leading Trump to label him “not MAGA” and say he had “lost his way.”
Conservative voices supporting Trump’s actions struck back. Ben Shapiro accused Kelly of being “such an unbelievable coward” for not naming Trump directly, while Mark Levin called her a “Crazy Grandma Groyper.” MAGA influencer Laura Loomer attacked Kelly as “not MAGA” and told her to “shut up.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt downplayed the infighting, telling reporters Trump “is the leader of MAGA” and asserting “there is nothing more America First than taking out terrorists.”
Multiple polls indicate notable public disapproval of the Iranian strikes. A Reuters/Ipsos survey found 27% approval against 43% disapproval, while a CNN poll reported 59% disapproval. An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll showed 56% oppose U.S. military action, with 59% of independents disapproving of Trump’s handling of the situation with Iran.
Kelly acknowledged the split within Trump’s supporters, telling listeners that service members “died for Iran, or for Israel” rather than for the United States. She said the government’s duty is to protect Americans, not foreign countries.
On Monday with Hannity, Graham threatened to pull U.S. military bases from Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticized the Iranian strikes, saying the country had “lost your way.” Rep. Tim Burchett joined the condemnation, calling Graham a “war pimp.”
Trump has insisted his base remains largely united behind him despite the backlash. The president told reporters, “MAGA is Trump,” and described the Iran campaign as “a detour that we have to take in order to keep our country safe.”
