Washington, DC – Amid reports that the Trump administration is nearing an agreement to end the war with Iran, criticism has intensified within the Republican Party. Prominent figures have launched a scathing attack on President Donald Trump’s diplomatic approach.
While Trump sees the negotiations as an opportunity to end the conflict, Republican hawks view the potential agreement as a dangerous strategic retreat that threatens the interests of America and its allies.
Pompeo: “Obama’s deal in a new version”
In strongly worded remarks on Saturday, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized the announced terms of the agreement, stating that they “are in no way consistent with the America First principle.”
Pompeo likened this approach to the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration. He asserted that the current deal is “directly inspired by the methods of Wendy Sherman, Robert Malley, and Ben Rhodes.”
Pompeo warned that this path will ultimately lead to “paying money to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.” This, he argued, will ultimately enable the Guard to develop a weapons of mass destruction program and terrorize the world.
Ted Cruz: “A catastrophic mistake”
Pompeo’s criticism wasn’t the only one; Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) expressed his “deep concern” on Sunday regarding reports of a potential deal.
Cruz wrote on social media, warning that a U.S. military strike against Iran that resulted in “the regime continuing to enrich uranium, develop nuclear weapons, and control the Strait of Hormuz” would be a “catastrophic mistake.”
While praising Trump’s earlier decision to attack Iran, Cruz urged the president to adhere to the “declared red lines” and not deviate from them.
Regional concerns and Tehran’s influence
For his part, Senator Lindsey Graham, known for his hawkish views and support for military action, warned that allowing Iran to maintain its regional influence would be a “nightmare for Israel” in the long run.
Graham emphasized that giving Tehran the ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz and the oil infrastructure in the Arabian Gulf would tip the balance of power in its favor. This would render previous US pressure ineffective.
Warning against “time-buying tactics”.
In the same vein, Morgan Ortagus, the Trump administration’s former Middle East envoy, warned that Iran might use the current diplomatic track “to buy time.”
Speaking at a Middle East Policy Forum meeting in Washington, she explained that Tehran has a long history of exploiting negotiations to alleviate pressure and maintain its influence. Therefore, Ortagus urged President Trump to be wary of falling into “Iranian tactics.”
This storm of Republican criticism comes at a time when President Trump has opted to give diplomacy more space by halting planned attacks on Iran. This decision, according to informed sources, came in response to intense pressure from Washington’s Gulf allies.
With mounting domestic pressure, Trump faces a dual political challenge: to proceed with his vision of ending the war, or to yield to the demands of the hawks in his party who fear that diplomacy will lead to an undeserved “Iranian victory.”
