MAGA hawk mutiny deepens Trump's isolation on Iran (axios.com)

President Trump's Iran deal has opened an explosive second front in MAGA's civil war, waged by hawkish allies who view U.S. concessions as an existential betrayal of Israel. Why it matters: Across two terms and 11 years in the political spotlight, no issue has divided Trump's base more than the Iran war. When U.S. strikes began, leading isolationists — from Tucker Carlson to Marjorie Taylor Greene — were excommunicated for suggesting Trump had abandoned "America First" principles on behalf of Israel. Three months later, with an interim deal in hand and peace potentially on the horizon, the Republican hawks who cheered Trump into battle are now leading their own furious rebellion. Driving the news: Pro-Israel conservatives are demanding to see the text of Trump's memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran, frustrated as much by the deal's secrecy as by its reported substance. The White House has given conflicting signals on timing: Senior officials said the text would be released Tuesday or Wednesday. Trump said it may come Friday, after a formal signing ceremony in Geneva. Republican leadership in Congress remains in the dark — and frustrated by the lack of detail. So is Israel, which hasn't seen the official MOU despite being a party to the ceasefire. Trump inflamed the backlash on Tuesday by praising Iran's negotiators in a bilateral meeting with Qatar's emir, a key mediator distrusted by many pro-Israel Republicans. "We're dealing with people that I think are very rational people," Trump said, adding that Iranian officials were "nice to deal with," "not radicalized" and "looking to help their country." For hawks who view Iran's government as a terrorist regime incapable of reform, the president's language deepened their fear that the deal rewards Tehran for surviving the war. Zoom in: The objections from Trump's pro-Israel allies fall largely into three buckets. Money: The MOU would allow Iran to immediately begin selling oil while opening the door to sanctions relief, frozen funds and a $300 billion reconstruction fund during the next phase of nuclear talks. U.S. officials stress that financial relief would be tied to compliance, but hawks are apoplectic at the mere prospect of money flowing to Tehran. Leverage: Months of overwhelming military force crippled Iran's nuclear infrastructure and conventional military defenses. By entering a 60-day negotiation window and lifting the naval blockade now, hawks argue Trump is trading away unprecedented leverage. Some even claim the regime was on the brink of collapse, though there's little evidence of that. Trust: Critics reject the premise that Iran can be coaxed into moderation — a concern echoed inside Trump's own government. Axios reported that CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned Trump that U.S. intelligence has serious doubts about Tehran's willingness to make the nuclear concessions required for a final deal. What they're saying: The backlash has been particularly scathing from allies Trump spe