Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday condemned the reported U.S.-Iran draft agreement as a “terrible deal,” just two days after President Donald Trump appeared on his show. The president’s decision to pause the Navy’s “Project Freedom” operation in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday evening, amid signals that both sides were closing in on a framework to end months of conflict, drew sharp criticism from Hewitt.
Axios reported Wednesday that the one-page memorandum would declare an end to hostilities and trigger a 30-day period for more detailed negotiations. Hewitt, responding on social media, wrote: “This would be a terrible deal. I hope the terms of any deal would be significantly stricter: No enrichment, ever. HEU to us stat,” referring to highly enriched uranium. He added, “No more proxies. Turn on the internet. President Trump never gives up leverage. Why would he start now with #Iran on the ropes?”
Hewitt argued that accepting the reported terms “would be snatching defeat from jaws of victory.” The proposed framework, according to Axios, includes a moratorium on Iran’s nuclear enrichment, a U.S. commitment to lift sanctions, and a mutual easing of control over the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials expect Tehran to respond to the 14-point proposal within 48 hours.
Trump on Tuesday threatened to resume strikes on Iran if the deal collapses, but the pause in naval operations suggests his administration is increasingly open to negotiating an end to the conflict. In a Truth Social post, the president said the decision to halt “Project Freedom” was based on “the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran.”
During a Monday interview on “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” Trump told the host that the U.S. had “already won” in its operations against Iran. Hewitt urged the president not to “take the wedge on Iran,” a golfing metaphor warning against easing pressure prematurely. “Hit for the green. Go for the green on Iran,” Hewitt advised.
The emerging deal has sparked debate among conservatives, with some warning that it could undermine the administration’s military gains. Critics like Hewitt fear that lifting sanctions and allowing any enrichment would leave Iran with a path to a nuclear weapon. The president’s shift toward diplomacy, after months of escalating strikes, marks a significant pivot that could reshape U.S. strategy in the Middle East.
As the 48-hour deadline approaches, all eyes are on Tehran’s response. The outcome will determine whether Trump follows through on his threat to resume attacks or moves toward a broader agreement that could end the conflict—but at a political cost that Hewitt and other hawks are already decrying.
