Trump’s emerging plan to end Iran war draws criticism from hard-line Republicans
PBS NewsHour – Politics — 2026-05-24 17:40:00 — www.pbs.org
Trump’s Iran Deal Faces Republican Backlash Amid Controversy
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s emerging deal to end the Iran war is drawing heavy criticism from some fellow Republicans who favor a harder line against the government in Tehran and fear a lost opportunity to finally rein in a longtime Mideast nemesis. The deal the Republican president had said was “largely negotiated” has left a range of lawmakers, former Cabinet members, and conservative analysts wondering aloud whether the terms as currently known will render the conflict all “for naught.”
Republican Concerns Over Iran Deal
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, expressed his concerns, stating that the president’s decision to strike Iran was the “most consequential” of his second term and that he should not let up now. “If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime — still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’ — now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,” Cruz wrote Saturday on the social media platform X.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who also is close to Trump, panned any deal that would leave Iran perceived as a dominant force in the region. Similarly, Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned the merit of a proposed 60-day ceasefire, calling it a “disaster.” “Everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!” said Wicker, R-Miss.
Trump’s Dismissal of Criticism
Trump, who has claimed he only makes good deals and detests being seen as not having the upper hand in negotiations, dismissed objections to a deal that he said was not “even fully negotiated yet.” “So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about,” he said on his social media platform.
He asserted that the deal he and his representatives are working out is “THE EXACT OPPOSITE” of a nuclear pact that Iran agreed to under the Democratic Obama administration. Trump pulled out of that agreement and has been trying to iron out a new one. “Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” Trump said.
Support and Criticism from Capitol Hill
Some support for Trump came from Capitol Hill. GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky defended the White House’s approach, stating, “War virtually always ends with negotiations.” Under the proposal, the war would come to an end, and Iran would reopen the strait and give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, with details to be worked out during a later 60-day window, regional officials told The Associated Press.
However, critics have raised objections as details trickle out. Polls show the war, which began when the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, is unpopular with the American public and has cost U.S. taxpayers at least $29 billion. Thirteen service members have been killed during the operation. Trump initially claimed the war would be over in four to six weeks, but the standoff continues.
Former Officials Weigh In
Mike Pompeo, one of Trump’s first-term secretaries of state, asserted that the emerging deal seemed to him to be the same as the Obama-era one from which Trump withdrew. “Not remotely America First,” Pompeo said on X. John Bolton, a national security adviser in the first term who has become a critic of the president, stated that if news reports about the impending Iran deal are correct, “the ayatollahs will have won a significant victory.” He warned that they would be back on the road to nuclear weapons, supporting global terrorism, and repressing their own people.
Reassurances from the Administration
Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back during a diplomatic mission in India, asserting that no president has been stronger against Iran than Trump. “His commitment to that principle that they’ll never have a nuclear weapon shouldn’t be questioned by anybody,” Rubio said. “And the idea that somehow this president, given everything he’s already proven he’s willing to do, is going to somehow agree to a deal that ultimately winds up putting Iran in a stronger position when it comes to nuclear ambitions is absurd. That’s just not going to happen.”
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a Trump antagonist, remarked that while the terms are not yet fully known, “if Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz are crashing out last night, I’d say it’s probably a pretty good deal.” Massie will leave Congress in January after incurring Trump’s wrath and losing his GOP primary last week to a Trump-backed challenger.
Conclusion
The emerging deal to end the Iran war has sparked significant debate within the Republican Party, highlighting divisions over how to handle Tehran. While Trump insists that the negotiations will yield a favorable outcome, critics worry that the terms may ultimately empower the Iranian regime. As the situation develops, the implications of this deal could have lasting effects on U.S. foreign policy and regional stability.