Republican leaders turn against Trump over Iran deal

A newly signed agreement between US President Donald Trump and Iran has triggered strong criticism from within his own Republican Party.

A newly signed agreement between US President Donald Trump and Iran has triggered strong criticism from within his own Republican Party. While the White House has presented the deal as an important step toward ending the recent conflict with Iran, several senior Republicans argue that it gives too much away without securing meaningful gains for the United States.

The agreement, signed earlier this week, is designed as a temporary framework to reduce tensions and open the way for further negotiations. On Thursday, the White House shared the text of the memorandum with members of Congress. However, lawmakers from both parties complained that they had received little information about the deal and had not been given any formal briefing on its contents or the administration’s future plans.

Much of the criticism has focused on reports that the agreement could lead to the release of frozen Iranian assets, the easing of sanctions, and the creation of a major investment fund worth around 300 billion dollars to support Iran’s economy. Many Republicans believe these concessions are being offered before Iran has made any significant commitments in return.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy strongly condemned the agreement, calling it one of the biggest foreign policy mistakes in recent history. He argued that Iran’s nuclear ambitions had not been stopped and warned that Tehran had learned it could gain advantages by threatening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Cassidy also pointed to the loss of American lives and the financial burden caused by higher fuel prices during the conflict. In his view, the United States had sacrificed too much while receiving very little in return.

Senator Roger Wicker also raised concerns, saying the agreement appeared to weaken the military gains achieved during the conflict. He opposed lifting sanctions or releasing Iranian funds before Tehran had taken concrete steps to address international concerns. Wicker also warned against limiting Israel’s ability to respond to threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon.

President Trump rejected the criticism in a social media post, defending his approach and insisting that the agreement had already produced positive results. He highlighted the strong performance of the US stock market and falling oil prices as proof that his strategy was working. Trump accused his critics of being motivated by politics rather than facts.

The agreement has also divided conservative media figures who have usually supported Trump. Political commentator Ben Shapiro described the deal as a failure and argued that it did not achieve the administration’s stated goals. He also blamed Vice President JD Vance for supporting the agreement. Fox News host Mark Levin expressed similar concerns, especially over reports that the deal does not restrict Iran’s ballistic missile program. Levin argued that leaving missiles out of the negotiations was a serious mistake given Iran’s history and regional influence.

Despite the backlash, some Republicans have defended Trump’s decision. Senator Roger Marshall praised the president for choosing diplomacy instead of another long military conflict. He said any money released under the agreement would be closely monitored and stressed that it would not come from American taxpayers.

The debate is expected to continue in Congress. Under existing US law, any agreement involving Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief must be reviewed by lawmakers. Several members of Congress, including some of Trump’s allies, have said the administration should submit the deal for formal congressional review before moving ahead with any final agreement.