In a moment that captured the growing unease within conservative circles, Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, found himself in an awkward spot at this year’s CPAC in the Dallas area on Friday. While attempting to rally the crowd, Schlapp asked, “How many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?” The audience erupted in cheers. Visibly caught off guard, he quickly backpedaled: “No… that was the wrong answer.” He tried again – “Let’s try that again, how many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?” – only for the crowd to cheer again. Flustered, Schlapp joked about needing coffee for the attendees before pivoting to a safer topic: keeping the House majority.
An attempt by @mschlapp to hype up the CPAC crowd goes horribly wrong —
“How many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?”
[cheers]
“That was the wrong answer…” pic.twitter.com/PQUCThdgV3
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) March 27, 2026
The incident unfolded against the backdrop of heated discussions at the conference about the U.S.-Israeli military actions in Iran. It was not the unified show of support Trump allies had hoped for – and it signaled deeper fractures in the MAGA base over foreign policy.
Those cracks are widening on Capitol Hill. Republican lawmakers, once solidly behind Trump, are now openly breaking ranks over the escalating conflict in Iran, warning that any deployment of U.S. troops could trigger a political backlash severe enough to cost the party in the midterms. Leading the charge is South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, who has repeatedly drawn a hard line against “boots on the ground.”
Mace: I’ll be voting against the funding if we’re putting troops on the ground. I’m not going to fund that—no U.S. troops. pic.twitter.com/qLDbT0OrvA
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 24, 2026
“If there are boots on the ground, public sentiment on this war changes overnight in a flash… people are not going to go for it,” Mace told ZeroHedge after a closed-door briefing. She has vowed to vote against any funding that would send American troops into Iran, stating plainly: “If a single boot of a single American soldier sets foot on Iranian soil, I will vote against this. I will not vote to fund sending South Carolina’s sons and daughters to die in a ground war in Iran.” Mace even stormed out of a House Armed Services Committee briefing, later telling colleagues “we were misled” about the scope of operations.
Her concerns are shared by other GOP voices who are far from the usual anti-interventionist suspects. Texas Rep. Chip Roy expressed “a lot of concern” among constituents, demanding clarity on objectives, timeline, and what “victory” would look like if troops are committed. Fellow Texas Rep. Brandon Gill stressed that voters reject “a long prolonged Middle East” engagement or nation-building. Even Sen. Rand Paul warned of an “uprising” at the gas pump if prices spike to $5 a gallon, noting that working families already squeezed by rent, food, and fuel costs will turn against the war the longer it drags on.
The GOP unease intensified after a Pentagon supplemental funding request reported at $200 billion – far beyond the White House’s initial framing of the operation as lasting mere “days” or “weeks.” Lawmakers were briefed on expanded objectives that reportedly include seizing Iran’s oil export hub at Kharg Island, targeting nuclear material, and even hints of regime change – options that could require thousands of ground troops. As of this week, roughly 7,000 U.S. forces from units like the 82nd Airborne are already heading to the region.
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley highlighted the broader economic pain: voters want lower gas prices, cheaper healthcare, and rising wages – not endless foreign spending. Rep. Lauren Boebert echoed the “America First” frustration, saying she is “tired of the Industrial War Complex” while families back home struggle to afford basic living costs.
The CPAC episode and the congressional revolt come at a precarious moment for the Trump administration. What began as targeted strikes is now raising fears of another Middle East quagmire in a country twice the size of Iraq. With midterm elections looming, GOP members worry that prolonged conflict – especially one accompanied by higher energy prices and no clear exit strategy – could alienate the very MAGA voters who delivered Trump’s victory.
Trump may have even less time to wrap this up than previously thought…
