NOW PLAYING
Senate Republicans are growing increasingly concerned about what they say is a lack of a clear plan to end the military conflict with Iran, warning that rising U.S. casualties and stubbornly high gas prices are going to hurt their party in the midterm election.
GOP lawmakers came away dissatisfied from a hearing Tuesday at which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified in support of the administration’s request for another $80 billion in emergency funding for the Iran war.
Republicans want to provide the Pentagon with more money to replenish its munitions but are frustrated the administration hasn’t given them a clearer picture of how to end the conflict, which has dragged on since Feb. 28.
“There’s got to be an off-ramp, that’s all there is to it,” said Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.).
“Naturally all of us are concerned because we’ve lost three wonderful, wonderful service people in the last little while,” he said, referring to three U.S. service members killed in recent days.
Justice also raised concern about mounting civilian casualties in Iran, which are believed to range from 1,700 to more than 3,000 people killed.
“Every last one of us is super concerned about civilian casualties because first and foremost it’s terrible. Secondarily, it’s generally not very popular in the world,” Justice said.
“In this situation, where we’re at right now, we’ve got to make one of two decisions, either just pull out and leave and roll the dice and hope for the best, or we’ve got to win, and winning is only one thing: Make sure they don’t have a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Trump on Wednesday threatened to strike civilian infrastructure in Iran, such as bridges and power plants, if Iranian forces continue to target ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Any time the lslamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Justice urged Trump to move cautiously when selecting civilian targets.
“I do see that if we come to a need to cut off supply lines, whether it be bridges or roads or whatever it may be, yeah we have to do it. But to just target a civilian site, a hospital or something like that, I don’t think he’ll do that,” Justice said.
A Republican senator who requested anonymity said that the conflict’s impact on gas prices is a huge political problem for GOP candidates heading into the November election.
“People are worried about it because otherwise they’d be cheerleading,” the GOP lawmaker said. “Nobody wants to be critical.
“Gas prices are high,” the senator added. “That’s a big worry.”
Oil prices climbed another 3 percent Wednesday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran is not serious about striking a deal to end the conflict.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday said the administration needs to find a way to come up with a quick resolution to the war, signaling growing restlessness among Republicans on Capitol Hill over the protracted nature of the conflict.
Johnson, like many Republicans, endorsed Trump’s goal of ending Iran’s production of weapons-grade uranium as a “very important objective,” but he also urged finding an end to the conflict soon.
“We got to wrap it up,” he said.
Democrats continue to pummel Republicans on a daily basis, arguing Trump has failed to neutralize Iran’s nuclear and weapons programs and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Americans are not ‘impressed’ that Trump has botched this war from the start,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) said on the Senate floor, criticizing Trump’s claim that people are “very impressed” by his handling of the conflict.
Some Republicans agree the security situation in the region is worse than it was before Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched strikes in February.
“I think the Iran war has not been a success. I’ve been opposed to the Iran war from the beginning. I think by any objective measure we’re worse off than we were before the war,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said.
“If you look at the militarization of the Strait of Hormuz, that’s never happened before,” he said. “There’s not an easy way to un-militarize the strait. … From that point of view, I think we’re in worse shape.”
Other Republicans are urging Trump to step up the intensity of strikes to put more pressure on Iran to agree to a lasting peace deal.
“As long as it’s sort of tit-for-tat — the Iranians strike and then we strike back — I think that’s going to be inconclusive. I think we need to demonstrate our decisive military edge and open up the Strait of Hormuz,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). “If anybody can do it, the United States. I’m not saying necessarily it’s going to be easy but to me that’s the endgame.”
Republican lawmakers came away from Hegseth’s testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday still hungry for more information about how the administration plans to end the conflict.
“What I’m interested in getting more information on is not only the strategy and endgame for the war but also the impact of not funding the training, the munitions, etc., which could have a very detrimental impact on the men and women who are serving,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said.
Asked if the administration has a clear plan to end the war, Collins pointed out that she and other key senators haven’t yet received a classified briefing to give them a better picture of the scope and duration of the conflict.
“I thought the hearing yesterday was somewhat helpful, but questions remain,” she said.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said senators need to get better answers from the administration in private.
“We need to have a classified briefing. They need to answer our questions,” Kennedy said after hearing Hegseth’s testimony. “We need some answers.”
“What I’m concerned is they’re running out of money,” he said, echoing the concern shared by several other GOP senators that the funding situation at the Pentagon might be growing increasingly dire as the conflict drags on.
Add as preferred source on Google Tags Jim Justice Pete HegsethCopyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Comments: Link copiedMore Senate News
See All
Senate GOP senators criticize Trump plan to sell access to Truth Social posts by Alexander Bolton 1 hour ago Senate / 1 hour ago 
