‘Ill-advised’, ‘worst foreign policy blunder in decades': Here's how Republicans responded to Trump's interim Iran deal

Troubles are mounting for US President Donald Trump as criticism from his own Republican party intensifies over his interim Iran peace deal. For the last four months, his administration has faced questions about the rationale for waging war on Iran alongside Israel in late February - a conflict that drove up gasoline prices. On Thursday (local time), the preliminary agreement he signed in Versailles, France, drew scathing rebukes from Republican senators and commentators.

According to a Reuters report, several Republican lawmakers and pro‑Republican commentators openly questioned the deal, which Trump signed while attending the Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. As copies of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) circulated on Capitol Hill, Republican lawmakers lashed out, branding the deal “ill‑advised” and “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades.”

As copies of the signed agreement were circulated on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Republican senators lashed out at the administration. They called the deal the "worst foreign ​policy blunder in decades," while some pro-Republican commentators broke with the US president over the agreement.

Here's how Republicans responded to the interim US-Iran deal

According to one of the senators, some reported provisions in the US-Iran deal seemed "ill-advised."

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, in a post on X, wrote, "Iran’s nuclear ambitions were not ​curbed, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works and will undoubtedly leverage it in the future." He added that before the war, the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's crucial oil shipping routes, was open to all, and the Islamic Republic faced steep sanctions. However, he wrote, “Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have paid billions at the pump, sanctions will be lifted, and the bombing has stopped. This is the worst foreign policy blunder in decades.”

Republican chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, said that he is worried that the MoU "negotiates away" US military successes. While opposing lifting any sanctions on the Islamic Republic or unfreezing Iranian funds, "in exchange for Iran's mere agreement to negotiate for another 60 days," he also added that it would be a mistake to pressure Israel to stand down against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Texas Senator John Cornyn, who’s leaving Congress, said: “Everything I’ve heard about it causes me concern," CNN reported. While Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski said, "It’s tough to say that the agreement is one that leaves Iran in a worse place and the United States in a better place," and added, "a lot of money has been spent, some lives have been lost and yet you have Iran in a place where it almost looks like this is where they were before."

The criticism from Republicans was a rare rebuke from the party members who have mostly shown complete loyalty to Trump, but were recently getting increasingly uneasy as the economic effects of the Iran war have impacted the party's prospects ahead of the November midterm elections.

Donald Trump, JD Vance defend Iran deal, slam critics

In a Truth Social post, Trump lashed out at the critics and defended the interim agreement with Iran. He wrote, "These fools, who think I haven’t been ​tough enough on Iran, when the Stock Market Just Hit A RECORD HIGH, and Oil prices are “tumbling” down, are either jealous, bad people, or stupid. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN."

Vice President JD Vance also downplayed the importance of the backlash coming from Capitol Hill, CNN reported.

Speaking during a White House briefing, Vance said, "I guess I would say to anybody, any of the critics is: Number one, have a little bit of faith in the president of the United States. The idea that he is going to strike a deal that’s been bad for the American people, it’s preposterous,” and later added: “I don’t think our public messaging has been chaotic.”