Ben Shapiro Mocked, Called To Enlist After Shifting Goalposts On Iran War

Ben Shapiro was ruthlessly mocked and called to enlist Thursday after X users pointed out his shifting goalposts on the Iran War.

Days before the war began, Shapiro was advocating for the U.S. to strike Iran, while assuring his audience that a bombing campaign would not lead to a bigger ground war. In an op-ed published March 19, Shapiro downplayed concerns surrounding the critical Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, which has remained effectively closed throughout the war. (RELATED: Pentagon To Deploy 3,000 More Troops To Middle East)

But he changed his tune Thursday, telling Americans they better buckle up for the long run. He also pushed for the U.S. to invade Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub that processes over 90% of the regime’s crude oil exports, and dismissed fears of mass troop casualties as overblown.

The pile-on was swift:

The US military yesterday raised its recruitment age to 42.

By a fantastic coincidence, Ben Shapiro is 42.

What are the chances that Ben Shapiro will go fight with the American soldiers that he and other Israel loyalists in the US want to go invade Iran? https://t.co/wG9xoITeLD

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) March 26, 2026

This is astonishing, even for him. It would not at all be unfair to summarize Shapiro’s position as, “Everything @ComicDaveSmith said last June about the consequences of attacking Iran is correct. We just disagree in that I think the cost is worth it.”

— Robert P. Murphy (@BobMurphyEcon) March 26, 2026

Got some amazing news for you, @benshapiro 👇

When are you signing up? https://t.co/a0Rqm8nghQ pic.twitter.com/5TQ219Bi3Z

— Decensored News (@decensorednews) March 26, 2026

Last year, Shapiro mocked those warning that Israel would drag America into a conflict. He was “100 percent” certain Trump wouldn’t bomb Iran.

This Feb. he said war would be easy, we could knock out Iranians in Hormuz in “three minutes flat.”

He’s not “wrong.” He’s lying. IMO! https://t.co/u6LjqeFwni

— Andrew Day (@AKDay89) March 26, 2026

One X user brought Grok into the mix:

Ben Shapiro is 42 years old (born January 15, 1984).

The U.S. Army raised its maximum enlistment age to 42 in March 2026 for new recruits with or without prior service. He would qualify on age for the Army, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard (Navy caps at 41; Marines at…

— Grok (@grok) March 27, 2026

The Pentagon is reportedly weighing a plan to dispatch an extra 10,000 troops to the Middle East, in addition to 5,000 Marines and sailors, and 2,000 members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division who have already been deployed.

Furthermore, the U.S. Army has raised the maximum enlistment age from 35 to 42 in order to broaden its pool of recruits. The policy also eases restrictions on Americans with previous marijuana-related convictions. It will be effective April 20.

On Sunday, Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham drew heat from both sides of the aisle after he compared the potential invasion of Kharg Island to the brutal Battle of Iwo Jima.

Here’s a refresher on military history for Lindsey Graham. Iwo Jima remains the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history. Nearly 7,000 Marines laid down the ultimate sacrifice on those black sand beaches.

— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) March 23, 2026