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By Jasmine Laws
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Conservative commentators and Republican lawmakers have taken to social media to condemn President Donald Trump’s newly signed Iran peace deal, denouncing it as a sweeping concession to Tehran and warning that it could reshape U.S. foreign policy for years to come.
The backlash follows the announcement of a 14-point memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend a ceasefire for a 60-day negotiation period while the countries discussed the future of Iran's nuclear program.
While the White House has framed the agreement as a breakthrough and a "major win" for America, critics on the right have branded it a strategic misstep. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, wrote on X that it was "the worst foreign policy blunder in decades," in a post that has more than 2.4 million views.
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Responding to the comments, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told Newsweek: "Following the historic destruction of Iran’s military capabilities through the successful Operation Epic Fury, President Trump and his negotiating team have brokered an excellent, performance-based [memorandum of understanding] that advances the interests of the United States by ending the fighting, reopening the Strait of Hormuz to significantly lower energy prices, and forcing Iran to commit to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
"What the President has achieved on the battlefield and at the negotiating table is nothing short of remarkable and will strengthen American security for many years to come."
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What Have Conservatives Said About Deal
Cassidy also warned that the deal risks undermining U.S. leverage in the region, saying Iran has "learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works and will undoubtedly leverage it in the future."
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley described it on X as a "huge mistake," arguing that the plan will "unlock billions of dollars and lift sanctions, with the promise of even more money" to Iran that she said likely will be used "to further their nuclear ambitions and on terrorist proxies against us."
Conservative radio host Mark Levin said that the plan "requires serious changes if not outright abandonment." He argued that the deal prematurely strips the U.S. of critical military and economic leverage by permanently halting military action and releasing billions in assets before a final nuclear deal is secured. He also said the U.S. had done the "unthinkable" in capitulating to Iran's demand to protect Hezbollah.
Former Vice President Mike Pence also weighed in, criticizing the framework as weak and insufficient to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas suggested that the terms amounted to a capitulation that would embolden Tehran.
Conservative political commentator Erick Erickson, who has more than 268,000 followers on X, said the deal was an "American surrender," while Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, focused on the potential economic implications, saying that the $300 billion set aside for the "reconstruction and economic development" of Iran was five times "as much as Congress spends on our roads and bridges annually."
Ben Shapiro, a conservative commentator, deemed the deal a "disaster" that does not achieve "any of the actual single goals that were set by the administration at the beginning," during an interview with Fox News. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson said that the deal "isn't a victory" but a "retreat."
What’s in Trump’s Iran Peace Deal
The U.S. has released the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU), and inside the deal are measures that would immediately halt military operations between the U.S. and Iran and sets a 60-day deadline to negotiate a permanent deal, with the option to extend.
It also requires the U.S. to lift its naval blockade and begin easing sanctions, while Iran agrees to allow free commercial passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran also reiterates that it will not develop nuclear weapons, but the specifics of its nuclear program appear to have been left unresolved for later negotiations.
The framework also includes economic incentives, including access to frozen funds, resumed oil exports and a potential $300 billion reconstruction plan for Iran.
Others Support Deal
Despite the conservative backlash, the agreement has received backing from international leaders, particularly at this week's G7 summit in France, as well as some lawmakers.
Leaders from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada collectively welcomed the deal as a “historic opportunity” to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and stabilize the region, adding that they "support and are ready to contribute to its implementation."
Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, wrote on X that "I stand with President Trump on peace" and criticized those attacking the plan, saying the voices "attacking Trump's Iran deal are the architects of every failed intervention of my lifetime."
Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, wrote on X that he believed the signing of the deal would be "beneficial to the United States, in as much as the Strait of Hormuz will begin to open, and the hostilities with Iran will stop."
But he added that "whether or not the United States can reach an acceptable, verifiable deal with Iran regarding its nuclear program and other issues is yet to be determined, but I see little downside to trying."
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