President Trump's former enemies in the mainstream media, which he has characterized as purveyors of "fake news," turned on a dime the moment he bombed Syria: the Establishment was thrilled that, suddenly, he was acting "presidential." CNN, a particular target of the President's ire, was gushing: NBC's Brian Williams, in a bizarre turn of phrase, hailed the "beauty" of the bombing, which killed a number of civilians. Democratic party politicians, with few exceptions, stood at attention and saluted, while Trump's Republican critics – notably John McCain and Lindsey Graham – praised the President while taking the opportunity to agitate for more extensive military action.

On the other hand, conservative media that has been supportive of Trump reviled the  move: Breitbart readers weren't happy, and neither were some of the writers. Ann Coulter was furious, and Laura Ingraham was hardly supportive. Michael Savagedeclared himself a "conservative peacenik," Tucker Carlson was very skeptical, and on Twitter, the "Trump trolls" were trolling their former hero. British populist Nigel Farage, who led the Brexit referendum to victory, and who endorsed Trump, opinedthat Trump voters "will be scratching their heads" in bewilderment. Even over at National Review, a neocon redoubt, the voice of dissent was raised.