Trump attacks critics within the Republican Party over Iran deal
US President Donald Trump has sparked a wave of controversy in Washington after sharp remarks he made to senior members of the Republican Party who expressed reservations about the tentative agreement between the United States and Iran, hinting at political consequences that could affect critics within his party, according to the Hebrew newspaper Maariv.
During his participation in the G7 summit in France, Trump was asked about the position of Republicans — led by Senator Lindsey Graham — on the unannounced agreement, and his response was remarkable: "If he's skeptical, he's going to be in big trouble. I think he's fine," a direct reference to Graham and a number of Republicans who have demanded to see the full text of the understandings with Tehran.
Trump's remarks, according to media outlets, come amid a clear division within Congress between supporters who see the deal as a step toward a cessation of hostilities, and opponents who criticize the lack of transparency and the absence of an official document so far.
Israel's Maariv newspaper quoted reports, including the New York Times, that a number of Republican lawmakers preferred to wait before announcing their support, arguing that relying on "Iranian narratives" was not enough to assess a deal of this magnitude.
Cautiously welcome Iran-US deal
Members of both parties welcomed the progress but questioned why the details were not presented to Congress, even though the deal could reshape the U.S. role in the Middle East going forward.
Maariv also quoted Republican Senator Tom Tillis as saying sarcastically, "If this is a secret agreement, how can I take it seriously," in a phrase that reflects the scale of the debate within American political circles.
Senator Lindsey Graham reiterated his support for expanding the Abraham Accords as the most realistic path to stability in the Middle East, stressing that the success of any understanding with Iran depends on the extent to which Tehran's behavior changes and its regional influence declines.
He added that any successful path with Iran should ultimately lead to the expansion of regional normalization and a permanent halt to Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Senate Refuses to Curb Trump's War Powers
The U.S. Senate narrowly thwarted the latest Democratic-led attempt to halt the war on Iran until Congress authorizes it, the ninth attempt by Democrats since Israel and the United States launched their air strikes on Iran in February.
The Senate rejected the resolution by a vote of 48 to 47 in favor under the War Powers Act, following a framework agreement announced by the White House and Tehran this week for a new ceasefire and talks to end the conflict.
The vote was largely partisan, with 4 Republicans voting with most Democrats voting in favor of the resolution, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against it along with most Republicans, and 5 senators — two Republicans, two Democrats and an independent — did not.
The vote came as lawmakers await details of the memorandum of understanding announced on Sunday by President Donald Trump's administration.
Council members: We feel we are ignorant
Democrats and some of Trump's Republican colleagues have called on the administration to provide them with specific details of the plan, and Democrats in particular have expressed a sense that they have been left in complete ignorance.
In a sign of lawmakers' frustration with the continuation of the conflict, the Senate voted on May 19 to consider Resolution 8 on war powers introduced by Democrats, with the same four Republicans in favor with all Democrats except Fetterman.
The measure, led by Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, faces another procedural vote before it is put to a vote in the Senate. Congressional aides said the sponsors were still working to rally support while they awaited more information on the peace negotiations.