Senate Republicans are mounting a sharp critique of President Trump's deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by lifting sanctions on Iran, with many calling it a dangerous concession that hands billions to a hostile regime while securing only temporary relief. The agreement, which ended a conflict that cost 13 American lives and over $100 billion, has sparked a backlash among GOP lawmakers who see it as a repeat of the 2015 nuclear deal Trump once condemned.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) took to social media to lambast the outcome, declaring, “Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave.” He called the deal “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades,” arguing that Iran’s nuclear program remains unchecked and that Tehran has learned that threatening the strait pays off. “Now, 13 Americans are dead, families have paid billions at the pump, sanctions will be lifted, and the bombing has stopped,” Cassidy wrote, underscoring the human and economic toll.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) echoed those concerns, warning that “giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is not a good idea.” Cruz suggested Trump is receiving poor advice, as the deal immediately lifts sanctions on Iranian oil exports and could unfreeze Iranian assets worldwide. The agreement leaves Iran’s nuclear program unaddressed and does not clearly bar future tolls on the strait, according to senators briefed on the memorandum.
The deal’s limited scope has drawn particular fire. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) noted it fails to restrict Iran’s uranium enrichment, missile stockpiles, or funding of militant proxies across the Middle East. A classified CIA assessment, reported by The Washington Post, estimates Iran retains 70% of its prewar missile inventory and 75% of its mobile launchers, despite weeks of U.S. and Israeli bombardment. Cornyn said the deal “gives them a lot of money they can use to fund their proxies.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) questioned whether the conflict’s cost—roughly $100 billion, 13 dead, and 365 wounded—justified the outcome. “You got to do the balance of accounts,” Tillis said, adding that Trump fell short of initial war aims to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capability. He pointed to the administration’s earlier vow not to repeat the Obama-era cash transfers to Tehran, saying, “I got to reconcile the numbers there.”
The agreement only guarantees Iran will avoid tolls on the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, after which negotiations with Oman will determine the strait’s future administration. This provisional nature has fueled skepticism. Sen. Thom Tillis called the deal weak “on its face,” while Cassidy compared it to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Obama-era accord Trump withdrew from in 2018. “It’s kind of JCPOA-plus,” Cassidy told The Hill, warning the deal “is going to leave Iran stronger, and it’s going to leave our allies weaker.”
Administration Defends Economic Relief
The Trump administration has briefed allies like Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) to highlight benefits such as lower fuel and fertilizer prices for U.S. consumers. Moreno acknowledged that while Iran gains from eased sanctions, Americans also benefit. “That helps us. Yes, of course it helps the Iranians also,” he said. On the Senate floor, Moreno expressed hope the memorandum could lead to a lasting agreement preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
But critics note that Trump’s decision to launch the conflict drove oil prices from $67 to $120 a barrel before they fell to $76. The economic whiplash has done little to mollify GOP hawks. Sen. Ted Cruz warned that the deal’s failure to address Iran’s nuclear and missile programs—or its proxy networks—makes it a strategic gift to Tehran. The White House has defended the MOU as provisional, with Trump threatening renewed bombing if Iran violates terms. Yet senators remain unconvinced, with Tillis saying, “There’s a lot of work to be done to convince me that we’re on the right path.”
The deal has also drawn comparisons to the 2015 JCPOA, which the Trump administration once argued “enriched the Iranian regime and enabled its malign behavior.” Now, GOP critics see the new agreement as a similar misstep. Former Trump chief of staff John Kelly has warned the pact strengthens Tehran and risks a nuclear breakout, adding to the chorus of opposition. The debate underscores deep divisions within the GOP over Trump’s foreign policy, as the 60-day clock ticks toward broader negotiations with Oman.
