Montana GOP Leaders Rally Behind Trump’s Iran Strikes as Libertarians Condemn ‘Illegal’ Action

HELENA — Montana’s Republican political establishment rallied behind President Donald Trump’s announcement Saturday evening that U.S. forces had successfully bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities, with the state’s four congressional delegation members and top officials offering swift praise for the military action.

The unified Republican response stood in sharp contrast to fierce criticism from the Montana Libertarian Party, which condemned the strikes as “illegal” and warned they could spark World War III. Montana Democrats, who abandoned their X account for BlueSky in March, had not responded to the major international development at the time of publishing.

Trump announced on Truth Social that American forces had “completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” declaring that “all planes are now outside of Iran air space” and safely returning home after dropping “a full payload of BOMBS” on the primary target at Fordow.

In his address to the nation after his Truth Social announcement, Trump described the operation as “a spectacular military success” that “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities. He warned that “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace” or face “future attacks [that] would be far greater and a lot easier,” noting that “there are many targets left.”

Trump also revealed that the operation was conducted in coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they “worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before.” He framed the strikes as ending decades of Iranian aggression, referencing 40 years of “Death to America, death to Israel” chants and claiming Iran was responsible for over 1,000 American casualties through roadside bombs and other attacks.

Trump closed the address saying that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and General Dan “Raisin” Cane will hold a press conference at 8 a.m. Sunday at the Pentagon to provide additional details on the operation.

Federal Delegation Largely in Lockstep

All four congressional delegation members responded with strong support for the military action, framing it as necessary deterrence against Iranian nuclear ambitions.

Senator Steve Daines issued the most comprehensive statement, thanking “President Trump and the men and women of our armed forces” and declaring that “America, Israel and the rest of the world are safer tonight.”

“Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, has killed hundreds of U.S. service members, attempted to assassinate President Trump and calls the United States ‘big Satan’ and Israel ‘little Satan,'” Daines said. “Stopping Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is a major step toward achieving peace.”

Senator Tim Sheehy, Montana’s newest member of Congress, defended the strikes as ending rather than starting conflict, writing on X: “The right decision. Iran had every opportunity to give up their nukes. To the naysayers out there, this isn’t starting a war, this is ending one. Iran has been at war with America for 46 years.”

Sheehy also called on “the Iranian people to rise up and put an end to this murderous regime.”

Both Daines and Sheehy had previously called for destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities while supporting Israeli preemptive strikes last week but stopping short of advocating direct U.S. military intervention. Daines had said “Thank God that Israel can act preemptively,” while Sheehy posted that Iran “can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon” alongside a statement that “America stands with Israel.”

Congressman Ryan Zinke struck a more ominous tone, warning of escalation if Iran failed to abandon its nuclear program entirely.

“We gave Iran a chance, they didn’t take it,” Zinke wrote. “The President has been crystal clear: Iran must not have nuclear weapons. If they don’t give up their nuclear program, this will continue to escalate. They will lose their Army, Navy, what’s left of their Air Force AND they will lose their refineries.”

Despite the military threat, Zinke echoed Sheehy’s support for ordinary Iranians: “I pray for the freedom loving Iranian people who have lived under extremism for too long.”

Congressman Troy Downing also expressed support, posting: “President Trump was clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. The Iranian regime is the world’s number one state sponsor of terrorism, and the world is a safer place thanks to @POTUS’s leadership. God bless our troops.”

State Leadership Joins Chorus

Governor Greg Gianforte kept his response brief but supportive, posting simply: “God bless our armed forces. God bless President Trump. God bless America.”

Attorney General Austin Knudsen summed up the Republican position in three words shared with Montana Talks radio host Aaron Flint: “Peace through strength.”

The Montana Republican Party amplified Daines’ statement while adding their own praise for Trump’s leadership, writing: “Thank you @realDonaldTrump for keeping America safe. Americans can sleep well tonight knowing this dangerous regime will no longer obtain nuclear weapons. These consequential decisions are never easy and we are grateful for your leadership in protecting America at home and abroad.”

Sharp Libertarian Dissent

The Montana Libertarian Party broke sharply from the Republican consensus, issuing a scathing condemnation of the strikes that highlighted potential fractures in Trump’s coalition.

“The MTLP condemns Trump’s illegal bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites,” the party wrote. “This reckless act violates the promise that he would broker peace, endangers our soldiers, risks WWIII, and destroys the MAGA coalition of conservatives, Libertarians, independents, and anti-war activists.”

The Libertarian criticism accused Trump of violating his promise to “broker peace” and raised concerns about fracturing the broader political coalition that helped elect him. Trump had given Iran a 60-day negotiation period that expired and made his decision to go into Iran within his stated two-week deliberation window announced Thursday. Trump consistently maintained throughout his 2024 campaign that Iran must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.

Democratic Silence

Notably absent from the immediate response were Montana Democratic leaders, who have largely shifted their social media presence from X to BlueSky since March. The party’s initial silence on such a major military action represents a marked contrast to the rapid responses from both Republican officials and the Libertarian Party.

The rapid political reaction reflects ongoing widespread concerns about the broader implications of U.S. involvement in Israel’s conflict with Iran, with many Montana political figures having followed the escalating tensions closely in recent months. The Saturday evening announcements prompted immediate responses across party lines as leaders weighed in on what many view as a potential turning point in Middle East policy.