Trump ally Peter Thiel criticizes Iran war: 'Shouldn't have done it'

Billionaire investor Peter Thiel, a major Republican donor, has offered a critical assessment of President Donald Trump's war against Iran.

According to Politico, Thiel said at a recent private lecture that he was skeptical of the Iran war and believed it "shouldn't have been done," Yonhap reported Wednesday (local time).

"There have been a lot of mistakes," Thiel said. "Maybe we don't have enough military power, and we could lose the competition for international influence."

Politico noted that the remarks are drawing attention because Thiel — widely regarded as one of Trump's closest allies — has broken with a central pillar of the administration's foreign policy ahead of the midterm elections.

Thiel was said to have made clear, however, that he continues to support Trump.

Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and data analytics software firm Palantir, is widely known as one of Silicon Valley's most prominent conservative investors. He backed Trump in the 2016 presidential election and delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention that same year.

In 2022, he was the largest donor to a super PAC that supported Vice President JD Vance's Senate campaign.

Meanwhile, the United States and Israel are reportedly drawing up concrete military plans to strike Iran again after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

The New York Times, citing US officials and others, reported Wednesday (local time) that the two countries' militaries are intensifying preparations — including conducting fighter jet training flights over Iraq — with a short, concentrated strike campaign against Iran in mind, Yonhap reported.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also traveled to Israel on Monday to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discuss options for additional strikes.

Targets under consideration by the US and Israel reportedly include Iran's energy infrastructure, nuclear facilities at a site known as "Pickaxe Mountain," and its missile and drone capabilities.

Whether Trump, who holds final decision-making authority, will approve any attack remains uncertain.

Trump has vetoed the resumption of large-scale military operations multiple times this year, including calling off a strike at the last minute earlier this month even as both countries' militaries had nearly completed their preparations.