Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said Tuesday that President Trump will be forced to resume full-scale military operations against Iran, days after the initial ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran expired without a follow-up deal.
Asked on NewsNation's "The Hill" whether Trump should follow through on his threat to "bomb and destroy" at least one bridge or power plant near Tehran if Iranian forces targeted U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Scott answered in the affirmative.
"I think he's going to have to," Scott told anchor Blake Burman. "Here's a president that doesn't like war. None of us do. Here's a president that doesn't want to put troops in harm's way. None of us do. So, he's given diplomacy a chance. Iran has walked away from it."
Scott argued that at some point Trump will have no alternative but to degrade Iran's weapons-production capabilities, adding, "They are not going to have a useful weapon while President Trump's president."
The senator acknowledged that Trump has better intelligence than he does regarding next steps, but predicted the Pentagon will act within "30 days or so." He also expressed skepticism about the Iranian regime's willingness to change: "Do I believe this regime is going to change? No, I don't."
Trump has pursued economic warfare through sanctions and a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 30% of global oil and gas exports. Iran has effectively shut the strait to commercial vessels, and the president has threatened Oman for negotiating with Tehran over new shipping lanes. "If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the s--- out of them," Trump told Fox News's Trey Yingst, though no audio of the exchange was provided.
Iranian officials insist the strait will reopen only if Trump lifts the blockade, compensates Iran for war damages, unfreezes assets, and drops sanctions. Tehran also dismissed Trump's proposal to make the strait U.S. territory. The interim deal agreed in June expired Monday, and Trump told Yingst he has "no time schedule" for a new agreement.
On Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf accused Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of being "way out of their league" in trying to bring Tehran back to negotiations. Hegseth has remained largely silent on the conflict, while Bessent has hinted at unprecedented new sanctions. "Americans think squeezing Iran harder will win concessions that were never part of the agreement," Qalibaf wrote on X.
Scott's comments come as Trump's Iran strategy faces scrutiny. The president's threats have escalated, but his administration has yet to outline a clear endgame. Trump's Iran strategy under fire as critics question whether economic pressure alone can force Tehran to capitulate.
Meanwhile, Scott's hawkish stance aligns with his recent endorsement of Rogers in Florida's 2nd District GOP primary, signaling his continued influence in Florida politics. The senator's call for military escalation also echoes broader Republican sentiment, even as GOP base support for Trump wavers amid ongoing foreign policy challenges.
