Tennessee town that makes missile parts for Trump stays loyal despite Iran war divides
In Kingsport, Tennessee, home to a plant supplying explosives for Patriot missiles, residents largely continue backing President Trump even as his approval ratings sink nationally amid the Iran war and rising living costs.
In the Appalachian town of Kingsport, where churches line nearly every street and Christian faith shapes daily life, the local economy leans heavily on the Holston Army Ammunition Plant. The facility produces explosives used in Patriot missiles, warheads and other heavy weaponry needed for the United States' costly, ongoing war with Iran.
That war, and its ripple effects on fuel and grocery prices, has driven President Donald Trump's national approval rating to a historic low of 32%, down 14 points from when he took office in January 2025. Many Republican voters nationwide have voiced disillusionment with his policies.
Yet in Kingsport, which backed Trump overwhelmingly in all three of his presidential runs, and across Tennessee, a reliably Republican state for over 25 years, support for him remains close to unshakeable. Most residents either openly support the military campaign in Iran or justify its necessity, despite Trump's earlier campaign pledge to avoid new wars.
Several locals say the goal of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon justifies the conflict. Veterans and military families make up roughly a tenth of the region's population, a factor residents say shapes local attitudes toward the war.
The Holston plant employs about 1,000 people and is the only domestic supplier of certain essential explosive and propellant components. Some residents argue Trump's influence over the economy is limited, describing him as constrained by Congress despite his campaign promises on gas and food prices.
Trump announced the strike on Iran himself in February 2026 after negotiations collapsed, saying in a video message that the action aimed to eliminate imminent threats from Iran and prevent it from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.
While Trump has lost ground among more moderate Republicans and independents nationally, his core base remains firmly loyal. In recent local elections, seven of the county commission's 11 districts featured only Republican candidates. Many residents say issues like abortion make crossing party lines unthinkable for them.
A small minority in Kingsport holds more liberal views, including a local Democrat who says he has toned down expressing his identity since Trump took office out of caution. Some young residents report growing disillusionment with Trump among their peers, though they remain doubtful the region will see major political change.
