For nearly three days, the alpha male wing of the internet had nothing to say.

The self-appointed guardians of masculinity—online personalities who preach strength, dominance, and unwavering values—went uncharacteristically quiet after Donald Trump authorized U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on June 21. It was a stunning silence from men who built their brands on calling out weakness and railing against perceived hypocrisy.

Their values, they say, didn’t change. But the man they attached them to—Donald Trump—just might have tested their limits. And for nearly three days, they vanished.

This is the world of the manosphere: a constellation of influencers, podcasters, and talking heads who reach millions of young men with a blend of anti-feminist rhetoric, self-improvement mantras, and staunch MAGA loyalty. For years, many of them embraced Trump because of his anti-woke, anti-interventionist America First platform. They rallied behind his hardline stance on immigration and his vow to end “forever wars.”

But the Israel-Iran crisis shook the foundation.

It began with Israeli airstrikes on Iran on June 12. Then came the U.S. bombings of Iranian nuclear sites on June 21. For a group that preaches loyalty to core values over political parties, this should have been a moment to speak up.

They didn’t.

Even Tucker Carlson, once Fox News’ top-rated host and a central figure in the new right, went silent. With over 16 million followers on X, his absence was glaring.

That changed on June 23, after Trump announced a ceasefire. Carlson broke his silence:

“Thank God,” he posted.

Thank God.

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 24, 2025

Two hours later, he added: “Thank God Trump brokered a ceasefire,” before calling out Fox News conservative pundit Mark Levin: “That’s the last thing Mark Levin wanted.” Carlson also shared a video of his interview with former Fox host Clayton Morris, who said: “People didn’t vote for this,” referring to the war. The two accused Trump’s base of pushing war propaganda.

Thank God Trump brokered a ceasefire. That’s the last thing Mark Levin wanted.

(0:00) Fox News’ War Propaganda
(10:15) Who’s Really Controlling the Corporate Media Narrative?
(21:55) The Absurdity of “Woke Right”
(24:50) 9-11, Anthrax Attacks, and Forever Wars
(30:43) Thomas… pic.twitter.com/Mc51I9l6sa

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 24, 2025

Charlie Kirk, head of Turning Point USA and one of the manosphere’s loudest MAGA supporters, spent days wobbling. On June 12, he voiced concern, warning Trump that young men who voted for him “didn’t vote for war.” But as backlash from other factions of Make America Great Again mounted, he pivoted to defending the strikes. After the ceasefire, he hailed Trump’s diplomacy as legendary: “You are witnessing legendary stuff from Trump.”

You are witnessing legendary stuff from Trump https://t.co/tpvgVyl9CQ

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 24, 2025

Then came the pivot.

“No nukes for Iran
No troops on the ground
No US troops dead
No regime change
No nation building
No war
President Trump with a historic masterclass,” Kirk wrote.

No nukes for Iran

No troops on the ground

No us troops dead

No regime change

No nation building

No war

President Trump with a historic masterclass.

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 24, 2025

He even went as far as to declare that President Trump “should get the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Andrew Tate, the hyper-masculine influencer and self-proclaimed voice of “real men,” resurfaced with a smug post just 14 minutes after Trump’s ceasefire announcement: “Told you,” wrote Tate, who is Muslim.

Told you. pic.twitter.com/OVqjclApqj

— Andrew Tate (@Cobratate) June 23, 2025

In a video posted earlier, Tate argued Trump hadn’t violated America First values, because he hadn’t upset the rich. “Nobody has ever cared about poor people. They will never care about poor people. Wake up,” he claimed.

Told you. pic.twitter.com/OVqjclApqj

— Andrew Tate (@Cobratate) June 23, 2025

Matt Walsh, another anti-interventionist voice in the manosphere, responded to Trump’s June 24 warning to Israel with a tweet of his own. “We got involved in this conflict primarily for Israel’s sake, not our own. It’s delusional to deny that. Now Trump is obviously fed up. As he should be. Time to leave this circus and let Israel deal with its own problems.” Trump had posted: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”

We got involved in this conflict primarily for Israel’s sake, not our own. It’s delusional to deny that. Now Trump is obviously fed up. As he should be. Time to leave this circus and let Israel deal with its own problems. https://t.co/Kg8w0HmhAt

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 24, 2025

Ben Shapiro, a staunch pro-Israel conservative, offered a different tone. “Thank you, Mr. President, for restoring Peace Through Strength! There has never been a president in my lifetime with @realDonaldTrump’s spine.”

Thank you, Mr. President, for restoring Peace Through Strength! There has never been a president in my lifetime with @realDonaldTrump’s spine. pic.twitter.com/kAcaLB6pPz

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) June 22, 2025

Dave Smith, a libertarian comedian and regular guest on The Joe Rogan Experience, stood out as one of the few manosphere figures to consistently oppose the bombings. “This has been a great moment for revealing who has principles and who is in a cult,” he posted.

This has been a great moment for revealing who has principles and who is in a cult. https://t.co/DR4GC6QhZf

— Dave Smith (@ComicDaveSmith) June 23, 2025

The takeaway? The self-described alpha males who dominate the digital culture war went quiet when their values collided with their leader’s decisions. They shout “alpha,” but when it’s time to act like one, they whisper.