Thiel Criticizes Trump Over Iran War Ahead of Midterms

President Donald Trump's decision to wage war against Iran has drawn unusually direct criticism from billionaire technology investor Peter Thiel, an early Republican supporter who questioned the military campaign during a private lecture in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 12. The remarks, reported by Politico on Wednesday after obtaining an audio recording, highlight divisions within Trump's political coalition as Republicans prepare for the November 3 midterm elections.

Thiel argued that the United States should not have initiated the conflict and raised concerns about the country's military capabilities and international standing. The war has continued longer than the relatively brief campaign initially envisioned by the Trump administration, complicating its stated goal of avoiding prolonged American involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts.

During the lecture, Thiel directly challenged the decision to begin military operations against Iran.

"I'm skeptical of [the war], I think we should not have done it," Thiel said. "There were a lot of mistakes that were made."

He also questioned whether Washington could sustain its position both militarily and diplomatically as the conflict continued.

"Maybe we don't have the hard power. Maybe we're going to lose the soft power war," Thiel said.

The conflict has become a campaign issue ahead of the midterms, with Democrats criticizing its duration and costs while Republicans seek to retain control of Congress. The extent to which the war has contributed to Republican electoral difficulties remains difficult to determine, according to the reporting.

Despite his criticism of the military campaign, Thiel continued to signal support for Trump during the lecture. He expressed opposition to neoconservative foreign policy and American military intervention in the Middle East while raising concerns about potential legal consequences involving the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Thiel discussed the political implications of criticism from members of the Cheney family and their possible relationship with international legal proceedings.

"I read the Cheney family's Trump derangement syndrome as an attempt to buy favor with the [International Criminal Court] and avoid prosecution. Probably too late," Thiel said.

He further suggested that the prospect of international legal action could affect decisions made by the Trump administration concerning the war.

"And I have come to suspect that the threat of an ICC arrest warrant is the sword of Damocles hanging over the Trump administration as it tries to persecute this war in Iran," Thiel said.

The recording also included Thiel's account of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in early 2024, following Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. According to Thiel's account, Netanyahu discussed the destruction in Gaza when asked about his plans for the territory.

"I can't just Dresdenize it," Netanyahu told Thiel, according to the account reported by Politico. The remark invoked Dresden, the German city devastated by Allied bombing during World War II.

Thiel became one of the earliest prominent Silicon Valley investors to support Trump in 2016 and spoke at that year's Republican National Convention. He later became the largest financial backer of super PACs supporting JD Vance's successful 2022 Senate campaign, before Vance became vice president.

Politico previously reported in March that Vance had expressed reservations about striking Iran before the administration launched its military operation. The parallel concerns underscore differences within Trump's political circle over the use of American military force.

Politico reported that neither Thiel's representatives nor the White House responded to requests for comment about the recorded remarks.