Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl, an ardent supporter of Donald Trump, has sparked controversy on social media due to his endorsement of the president’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities.

President Trump revealed that the US military had carried out a successful strike on Saturday night targeting three Iranian nuclear sites, including the Fordo uranium enrichment plant. This action aligned with Israel’s ongoing air campaign against Tehran.

Trump said on social media that a ‘full payload of BOMBS’ was dropped on the highly-secretive, underground facility at Fordo.

In a televised statement to the nation, Trump declared that the primary nuclear facilities of what he referred to as ‘the bully of the Middle East’ had been completely destroyed in the attack.

Pearl, a passionate Trump supporter, took to social media to heap praise on the president and America’s military personnel.

He wrote: ‘Thank you Mr president for your strength and vision, keeping us safe. Proud of our troops! 

‘You did what no one has had the courage to do for far too long. You were patient and clear. Pray for Peace through prosperity in the Middle East, expand now on the AA. You prevented a War’.

But fans quickly flooded his replies with divided opinions.

One of those in agreement with Pearl replied to his post: ‘Love me some Coach Bruce Pearl! Always appreciate courage to call it like it is.’

A second posted: ‘Thank you coach Pearl for always standing tall for America because it takes a strong man to have the guts to stand up for your beliefs’.

A third said they ‘could not have said it any better’.

But not all of the replies were positive. One user who disagreed with his position told Pearl to ‘stick to basketball’.

Another critic commented: ‘Bruce – you may want to stick to hoops. Not sure how this prevents war? More than likely the exact opposite.’

A third called Pearl ‘outta your mind’ while a fourth asked: ‘HOW IS THIS PREVENTING WAR?’

It comes just days after Pearl was also thrilled to see how Trump has been handling the country’s border security.

‘We didn’t need new laws, we just needed a president that would enforce the ones we already had! President @realDonaldTrump is making America safe again!,’ he wrote on X.

Pearl, who previously slammed Kamala Harris for her ‘woke progressive beliefs,’ expressed his support for legal immigration in November after Trump had won a second term in office.

‘President Trump won big because more Americans believed he will fix Inflation, secure our border, support legal immigration, bring peace to the world through strength and put America first,’ he said on X.

‘I pray and I believe he will work for all Americans, uniting us as one nation under God!’ 

The fresh US military entanglement in the Middle East comes despite Trump’s promises to avoid another of his country’s ‘forever wars’ in the region. Iran had vowed to retaliate against US forces in the region if Washington got involved.

‘We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,’ Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

‘A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow.’

Trump added that ‘all planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors.’

Iranian media confirmed that part of the Fordo plant as well as the Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites were attacked.

Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the attacks, while the United States also gave key ally Israel a ‘heads up’ before the strikes, a senior White House official said.

In a second post announcing his address to the nation from the White House, Trump said that ‘IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR.’

He described it as a ‘historic’ moment for the United States, Israel and the world.