Trump’s Cease-Fire Deal with Iran Prompts Cautious Relief and Questions from Lawmakers

Lawmakers reacted to President Donald Trump’s 11th-hour cease-fire deal with Iran with a mix of relief and cautious optimism, although Democrats and some conservatives questioned the next steps toward a more permanent de-escalation of hostilities. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R, S.C.)—a hawkish voice who has supported U.S. military action in Iran—praised the deal, while also calling for Congress to be involved in reviewing a 10-point proposal put forward by Iran that could lead to the withdrawal of American military forces from the region. 

”Like everyone, I hope we can end the reign of terror of the Iranian regime through diplomacy,” Graham said in a social media post, adding “time will tell.”

“I want to reaffirm that from my point of view, every ounce of the approximately 900 lbs. of highly enriched uranium has to be controlled by the U.S. and removed from Iran to prevent them in the future from having a dirty bomb or returning to the enrichment business,” Graham said.

Trump, in his announcement Tuesday, said that Iran’s 10-point proposal was “workable” and that “almost all” major points of contention had been resolved in principle, suggesting a breakthrough could be close. 

Utah Republican Rep. Burgess Owens said the deal was a “very positive step towards a lasting peace,” while Rep. Brett Guthrie (R, Ky.) said, “I pray that the end of hostilities will be lasting.”

A handful of GOP lawmakers earlier issued a rare rebuke of the President after he threatened to wipe out “a whole civilization” if Iran failed to make a deal with Washington. Sen. Ron Johnson (R, Wis.), speaking at a podcast published on Tuesday, said that he hoped the President was just speaking “bluster,” and that the U.S. was “not at war with the Iranian people” and is instead “trying to liberate them.” And Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R, Alaska) said on social media hours before Trump announced the cease-fire that the threat “cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran.”

Some conservative commentators highlighted the potential difficulties in enforcing any permanent peace deal with Iran’s theocratic regime.  “I don’t trust the enemy; the enemy has shown for half a century that every deal it signs, it violates,” American conservative media personality Mark Levin told Fox News Tuesday night. “How do we enforce it?” 

‘Insufficient’ cease-fire

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, N.Y.) said in a social media statement that he was “glad Trump backed off and is desperately searching for any sort of exit ramp from his ridiculous bluster.”

Other Democrats criticized how the deal fell short of ending hostilities, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, N.Y.) telling CNN “a two-week cease-fire is insufficient.” 

Trump’s threats of violence and escalation in the Iran war have raised concerns of possible commission of war crimes, and have prompted discussion among lawmakers and critics about invoking the 25th Amendment, which establishes procedures for presidential succession, or possible impeachment.

Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York said on social media that Trump’s statement on the cease-fire deal “changes nothing.” 

“The President has threatened a genocide against the Iranian people, and is continuing to leverage that threat,” Ocasio-Cortez added. “He has launched a massive war of enormous risk and of catastrophic consequence without reason, rationale, nor Congressional authorization - which is as clear a violation of the Constitution as any. Each day this goes on, the risk and criminality of these actions escalate for our nation and the world.”