Rand Paul pushes back on GOP criticisms of Trump-Iran tentative deal

by Ian Swanson

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is pushing back on fellow Republicans who have criticized an emerging deal being negotiated by the Trump administration to end the war with Iran.

Paul, who has criticized the war while joining with Democrats to support War Powers Resolution votes to curb President Trump’s actions, said those criticizing Trump should give him room to operate.

“War virtually always ends with negotiations,” Paul wrote in a post on X. “Critics of President Trump’s peace negotiations should give President Trump the space to find an American First solution.”

Trump on Saturday said the U.S. was getting close to a deal with Iran that would end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz.

“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.”

Even before Trump’s statement, however, a number of GOP lawmakers had criticized what they understood the deal to include.

“If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate force requiring a diplomatic solution,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a hawkish senator who is also a close ally of Trump’s, wrote Saturday in a post on X.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) on Friday and Saturday in separate public messages also pushed the administration to not agree to a deal that would not justify the war.

The White House has pushed back at some of the criticism.

The White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung lit into former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s public criticism of the emerging deal, telling him to “shut his stupid mouth.”

Paul’s support for efforts to end the war is notable, and consistent with his calls to keep the U.S. out of foreign conflicts.

He has been on a separate page from some GOP senators, such as Graham and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who have pushed for more aggressive actions on Iran. Cruz has also raised public doubts about the peace talks.     

Iran, for its part, has said that while talks are progressing, it will not agree to give up its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait has all but been completely closed by the war, which has led to rising oil and gas prices around the world.

That has put additional pressure on Trump to reach an agreement to end the war, though such a deal has been elusive so far.