Republican Lawmakers Criticize Trump’s Iran Memorandum of Understanding

Published On 18 Jun 202618 Jun 2026

President Donald Trump’s interim agreement with Iran has provoked criticism from fellow Republicans, who contend the deal squanders billions of taxpayer dollars and does little to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Under a 14‑point memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday, the United States and Iran pledged an “immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts,” including in Lebanon.

Iran agreed to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained effectively closed since late February, while Washington committed to “develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan” to allocate $300 billion for Iran’s reconstruction and development.

The accord also contains Iran’s promise not to “procure or develop nuclear weapons”.

Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a rare Republican critic of Trump who recently lost a primary bid for a third term, denounced the memorandum as “the worst foreign‑policy blunder in decades”.

“Reagan is turning in his grave,” Cassidy remarked on X, invoking former President Ronald Reagan, a longstanding icon of the conservative movement.

“Iran’s nuclear aspirations have not been restrained, and they have discovered that threatening the Strait of Hormuz yields leverage they will surely exploit,” he added.

“Consequently, Iran will be able to construct brand‑new infrastructure under this arrangement,” he said.

Senator Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who faced a primary challenge from Trump‑backed Ed Gallrein, objected to the $300 billion assistance package, noting that the sum is roughly five times the annual congressional spending on roads and bridges.

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who served during Trump’s first term, also questioned whether the United States will follow through on its pledge to help Iran rebuild after the nearly four‑month conflict.

“This regime chants death to America, kills our troops, and attempts to assassinate Americans on U.S. soil,” Haley posted on X.

“They believe they must destroy us. Now we intend to release billions of dollars, lift sanctions, and promise even more funding,” she said.

Trump’s arrangement has drawn unfavorable comparisons to Barack Obama’s more detailed 2015 Iran deal, which limited Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Trump withdrew from that accord in 2018, claiming it had “enriched the Iranian regime and enabled its malign behavior.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence stated on Wednesday that the US‑Iran memorandum “smacks of the appeasement our administration rejected in the Obama‑era nuclear deal.”

He argued that the United States should seek an agreement that “commits Iran to dismantling its nuclear and missile programs, ends support for terrorist proxies, and reopens the Strait.”

“If that proves impossible, we should let our armed forces complete the mission on our terms,” Pence added on X.

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas defended the memorandum against Obama‑deal comparisons but warned against financing Iran’s reconstruction.

“I urge the president not to surrender the gains we have made; we have degraded their military, and we should not fund its rebuilding,” Cruz said on X.

Source link