US politics live: Donald Trump is still considering potential attack on Iran, and his MAGA movement is still unsure

As Donald Trump mulls the idea of attacking Iran, his supporters are going after each other in very public, very ugly scenes.

Welcome, once again, to our live coverage of US politics.

The conflict between Israel and Iran continues to be the most important item on President Donald Trump’s agenda, and he mulls potential military action, his supporters are engaging in increasingly ugly arguments.

The chief example here is former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s interview with Republican Senator Ted Cruz. Mr Carlson is anti-intervention, and Mr Cruz is broadly the opposite. Read on for more details on their little spat.

Back to the President. While speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, where he had just overseen the installation of a gigantic new flag pole, Mr Trump was asked whether the US was “moving closer” to striking Iranian nuclear facilities.

“You don’t seriously think I’m going to answer that question. ‘Will you strike the Iranian nuclear component, and what time exactly, sir?’” Mr Trump replied (note the sarcasm) before offering a coy response.

“You don’t know that I’m going to even do it. I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.

“I can tell you this, that Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate.”

Mr Trump speaking outside the White House today. Picture: Evan Vucci/AP

Speaking at an Oval Office event later on Wednesday, Mr Trump told reporters he is yet to make a final decision and would soon be holding a meeting with his national security team in the White House’s Situation Room.

“I have ideas as to what to do but I haven’t made a final – I like to make the final decision one second before it’s due, because things change, especially with war,” he said.

On a more domestic issue, Mr Trump has once again lashed out at Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who runs the equivalent of Australia’s Reserve Bank.

The Fed today decided to keep America’s interest rates steady. Mr Trump wanted them to be cut. As made clear by his remarks.

“It’s a shame, this guy. You ever have a guy who’s not a smart person, and you’re dealing with him? He’s not a smart guy,” Mr Trump said, turning to one of the workers who had just erected the aforementioned flag pole.

“I know what I’m doing. So we have a stupid person, frankly, at the Fed.

“Europe had ten cuts, and we had none. And I guess he’s a political guy. I don’t know. He’s a political guy who’s not a smart person. But he’s costing the country a fortune. So what I’m going to do is, he gets out in about nine months, he gets fortunate terminated. Biden - I would have never reappointed him. Biden reappointed him, I don’t know why that is. But I guess maybe he was a Democrat.”

Mr Powell’s current term as Chairman of the Federal Reserve ends next year. He was appointed to the job by Mr Trump during his first presidency, and Joe Biden nominated him for a second term in late 2021 over objections from more left-wing Democrats.

Read on for the latest updates.

Originally published as US politics live: Donald Trump is still considering potential attack on Iran, and his MAGA movement is still unsure