Is Taking On Iran ‘America First?’ | Will Cain Country
What does the escalation and potential American involvement in the Iran/Israel conflict mean for ‘America First?’ Will Cain says the answer depends on two key questions: Does it help us, and what’s the cost to America?
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One-time UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland made his stance clear on the notion of America joining Israel in a war against Iran on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old fighter sent a post on X, in response to a post from President Donald Trump, urging the commander in chief not to involve the U.S. in the ongoing conflict. Trump’s post boasted about the U.S. military taking “complete and total control over the skies of Iran.”
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“America doesn’t want to be involved in Israel’s war…… This is not our war. We don’t want it. You were elected by the people. Listen to the people who elected you. WE DO NOT WANT THIS!!!!” Strickland wrote in response to Trump.
Strickland has previously expressed support for Trump, and the president has occasionally been in attendance to watch Strickland fight in the Octagon at past events.
Strickland even publicly declared his support for Trump after a win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June 2024.
However, Strickland has also been vocal in his stance that he does not want Trump to side with Israel at the cost of American interest.
In a Feb. 10 X post, Strickland even suggested he would start waiving a Palestinian flag amid reports of a deal for Trump to sell $8 billion worth of arms to Israel.
“Man if Trump keeps this bs up I’m about to start waving a Palestinian flag.. American cities are shitholes and you wanna go spend billions on this dumpster fire.. Did we make a mistake?! This ain’t America first..” Strickland wrote.
Sean Strickland (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Another professional athlete has also spoken up about their stance in not supporting Trump joining Israel in a war against Iran.
Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Zack Cozart, who has also been a staunch Trump supporter in the past, expressed a similar sentiment to Strickland in an X post on Monday.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN WOULD ‘LIKE TO TALK’ ABOUT DIALING DOWN ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT
“If Trump gets us in a war, I will no longer support him, and I’m sure most of you know I love Trump,” Cozart wrote.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One during an overnight flight back to Washington that he was looking to achieve something better than a ceasefire and would meet with advisers in the Situation Room early Tuesday.
“We’re looking at better than a cease-fire,” Trump said. “We’re not looking for a cease-fire. I didn’t say that I was looking for a cease-fire.”
Trump earlier denied reports that he was rushing back to Washington to work on a ceasefire, saying on his Truth Social platform that “it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.”
Trump also issued an ominous warning on the platform Monday evening, writing that “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON” and “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
When reporters aboard Air Force One asked about his call for the residents of Tehran to evacuate, Trump said there was no threat, but “there’s a lot of bad things happening, and I think it’s safer for them to evacuate.”
When Trump was asked again if the U.S. getting involved militarily would ensure a end of Iran’s nuclear program, Trump said, “I hope their program is going to be wiped out long before that. They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.”
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Trump said he may consider sending Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians.
“It depends on what happens when I get back,” Trump said of the Israel-Iran conflict, telling reporters that “nobody’s slowed up so far.”
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