Published on: March 9, 2026, 22:13
Last updated on: March 9, 2026, 22:13
Reading time: 4min – video: 5min
In East Tennessee, a stronghold for Donald Trump, residents continue to predominantly support their president, despite the war and its impact on their daily lives. Some, including veterans, however, hope that this war does not drag on, and that no ground troops will be deployed in Iran.
This text corresponds to a part of the transcription of the report above. Click on the video to watch it in full.
At the gates of the Appalachians, welcome to the America that voted 80% for Donald Trump. In this part of Tennessee (United States), there is a unique concentration of shops featuring the president. We have an appointment in one of them, where his admirers come to stock up. Cody Forrester, the owner, welcomes us. A steadfast supporter of the president. “We have a flag that is out of stock. The one with Trump as the savior of America,” he shows us. For him, the war, the Iranian regime asked for it: “They should have listened to what Trump was asking them. He was telling them: ‘Don’t do this or that, follow our rules’. If they had done that, they wouldn’t have had a problem.”
In the back of the shop, his wife Mindy is working on new models of t-shirts, featuring the ongoing military operation. She is more uncomfortable with this war, but she still doesn’t withdraw her trust in the president: “It bothers me. I understand why he is doing it, but I don’t like the war. I think he is doing what it takes to put America first and keep us safe.”
Donald Trump campaigned on not starting new wars. So, has he gone back on his word? These Republican lands are home to one of the largest military bases in the country, Fort Campbell. 30,000 soldiers, some of whom are deployed in the Middle East. A couple has their son and grandson in the army, and they came to visit them, not without concern. “My grandson trained for this type of operation and he has two children and his wife is a soldier too,” explains the woman. “I fear that we don’t have an exit plan, or even no plan at all. We stayed twenty years in Afghanistan and we don’t want that anymore,” assures the man.
Around the base, there is a whole town that lives off the military presence, with its recruitment offices and specialized equipment stores. Mike Raleigh welcomes us to his store. “Sometimes, they just need a mess kit for their meal, an extra pair of knee pads, or simply a water bottle,” he says. He understands Donald Trump’s turnaround and his choice to engage the country on the path to war: “I like the fact that despite his reluctance, he decided it had to be done. He had the courage to change his mind. Other presidents wouldn’t have done that and would have let another country slap us.”
But what do those who have served under the flags think? We meet with a group of Jeep enthusiasts. Here, patriotism is displayed even on the car chassis. “My father is a veteran and I have four others in my family. It’s important to me,” confides one man. Tonight, they are going to see a former Navy man sing. The war is taking place nearly 11,000 kilometers away, but it is still present in their minds. “The president is doing an incredible job and I couldn’t ask for more than to see him continue to protect us and our interests,” assures Tim Scott, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.
John Shockley, a Vietnam veteran, supports the strikes against the Iranian regime, but he questions what comes next, especially the deployment of troops on the ground. “I was part of the ground troops in Vietnam. That would be terrible. We have already lost several soldiers. In Vietnam, we lost 58,000 and 2 million Vietnamese,” he recalls. But others see mainly the economic impact of this war, the duration of which is uncertain. “Supermarket prices are soaring. And in this city, the price of gasoline has increased by 20 cents per liter in just a few days. So, no, it’s not America first, it’s Trump first,” laments Roger Tison, a Marine veteran.
America elected Donald Trump on promises of boosting purchasing power. From his detractors to his most fervent supporters, she will be attentive to the evolution of the war and its impact on the prices of everyday life.
