President Trump slammed the “fools” who oppose phrases of the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding as “both jealous, unhealthy individuals, or silly” after a number of Republican lawmakers spoke out strongly towards the deal.
“These fools, who assume I have never been powerful sufficient on Iran, when the Inventory Market Simply Hit A RECORD HIGH, and Oil costs are ‘tumbling’ down, are both jealous, unhealthy individuals, or silly,” Mr. Trump wrote on Reality Social early Thursday as he returned from the G7 summit.
Louisiana Republican Sen. Invoice Cassidy got here out most strongly towards the Iran deal, saying Ronald Reagan is “rolling over in his grave.”
“Iran’s nuclear ambitions weren’t curbed, and so they have discovered that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works and can undoubtedly leverage it sooner or later,” Cassidy wrote on X. “Now, Iran will get to construct brand-new infrastructure underneath this deal. Earlier than the struggle, the strait was open, Iran was being crushed by sanctions, and 13 service members had been nonetheless alive.”
“Now, 13 People are lifeless, households have paid billions on the pump, sanctions can be lifted, and the bombing has stopped,” he continued. “That is the worst overseas coverage blunder in a long time.”
Cassidy has stepped up his criticism of Mr. Trump after dropping his major race to Trump-endorsed candidates Julia Letlow and John Fleming, who now face a runoff. The president repeatedly slammed Cassidy, who was one in all simply seven Republicans to vote to question Mr. Trump over the Jan. 6 assault.
Sen. Invoice Cassidy confers with an aide throughout a listening to on June 17, 2026. / Credit score: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Name, Inc by way of Getty Photos
Trump ally Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas can be among the many critics of the Iran deal. Cruz informed reporters Thursday on Capitol Hill he thinks the president is getting “some actually unhealthy recommendation on this deal.”
A number of Republicans centered their ire on the $300 billion reconstruction fund that Iran would obtain as a part of the deal. The cash would come from non-public traders, not U.S. taxpayers, in response to Mr. Trump, however it’s nonetheless induced bipartisan criticism, with lawmakers elevating issues will probably be used to sponsor terrorism.
“Historical past demonstrates that giving billions of {dollars} to theocratic lunatics who need to homicide us is an exceptionally unhealthy concept,” mentioned Cruz. “If we give billions of {dollars} to Iran, that cash can be used to homicide People, and so I do not consider we must always try this.”
“The concept that we might have, successfully, a Marshall Plan for Iran, and are available in and rebuild Iran after they have been the main state sponsor of terrorism for 47 years, they’ve murdered almost 1,000 People, I do not assume that makes any sense,” Cruz added.
Sen. John Cornyn, additionally a Republican from Texas, mentioned Israel appeared to be “overlooked” of the deal, which requires the “everlasting finish to navy operations on all fronts, together with in Lebanon.”
“I might encourage them to proceed to take the struggle to Hezbollah, as a result of, sadly, now Iran goes to have a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} to help its terrorist proxies, together with Hezbollah,” Cornyn mentioned Thursday. “So, I feel that was a mistake.”
Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee and a member of the Armed Providers Committee, credited President Trump with weakening Iran however mentioned he is involved “sure elements of this deal are a step within the mistaken path.”
In an interview on Fox Information, Cotton mentioned lifting sanctions on Iran’s oil will imply an inflow of funds for the regime, “someplace between $150 and $200 million per day. In order that’s $4.5 billion to $6 billion each single month. That is some huge cash, and we all know that this terrorist revolutionary regime is just not going to spend that cash on daycares or in hospitals, they’ll use it to rebuild their drone stockpiles, their missiles, to fund Hamas and Hezbollah.”
Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, a member of the Armed Providers Committee, mentioned in an announcement on Thursday, “I’m involved that the memorandum of understanding negotiates away the victories of Operation Epic Fury in methods which can be fully out of step with the President’s targets.”
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has beforehand advocated not making any deal and restarting navy motion towards Iran, gave a tepid endorsement of the deal after he mentioned he spoke to Trump particular envoy Steve Witkoff.
“After this dialogue, it’s my opinion that signing the MOU can be useful to the US, in as a lot because the Strait of Hormuz will start to open, and the hostilities with Iran will cease,” Graham wrote on X. “Whether or not or not the US can attain an appropriate, verifiable take care of Iran relating to its nuclear program and different points is but to be decided, however I see little draw back to making an attempt.
“The financial stability that comes from opening up the Strait and the cessation of hostilities may create a pathway to peace nicely past the Iranian battle.”
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis mentioned he is hoping for extra particulars than simply the transient 14-point plan launched on Wednesday, calling it “insufficient.”
“If I am finally requested by the administration to evaluate it on the idea of the 14 factors that we all know, then it is not going to be evaluation,” Tillis mentioned throughout an Atlantic Council occasion on the upcoming NATO summit.
Senate Majority Chief John Thune informed reporters on the Capitol on Thursday he anticipates the administration will transient senators on the Iran settlement early subsequent week.
President Trump forward of a dinner with French President Macron in Versailles, France, on June 17, 2026. / Credit score: Bastien Ohier / Hans Lucas /AFP by way of Getty Photos
“My understanding is the quote ‘official language’ is popping out at the moment, however yeah, now we have a request in,” Thune mentioned. “I assume as soon as they do the preliminary briefing on it that we’ll have of us up right here. We have requested them to do this. I might anticipate most likely early subsequent week.”
Thune known as the deal “good for People,” citing the potential financial reduction if the strait reopens. He additionally famous the “long-term” points stay “unresolved.”
Democratic senators, like Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, of New York, have been united of their disdain for the deal.
“If you take a look at the 14 factors that the administration has agreed to, it appears to be like like Iran has received on nearly each one in all them,” Schumer informed reporters on Capitol Hill. “Trump has performed a really poor job of negotiating. We’re worse off than we had been when the struggle began. The Strait of Hormuz underneath better Iranian management now than then. The management of Iran extra militant now than then. … This can be considered one of many largest American disasters.”
Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal known as it a “seemingly disgraceful deal” and mentioned it appears to be like “like an unconditional give up, not for Iran, however for the U.S.”
“Opposite to the president’s guarantees, this capitulation is just not by Iran, seemingly, it’s by the US in lifting sanctions, offering a whole bunch of billions of {dollars} that can be utilized to help proxies. The absence of any form of regime change, and an financial windfall for this regime, strengthening it,” mentioned Blumenthal, who added he believes the settlement should be authorized by the Senate because the Structure outlines for worldwide treaties.
“Anyone advocating for it’s going to want flame-resistant physique armor, as a result of it would meet with bipartisan condemnation when it reaches Congress, because it should do, as a result of it has all of the appearances of a treaty,” he mentioned.