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Archive photo · 2 June 2025Trump Says Iran War Prevented Nuclear Weapon After Missiles Hit Qeshm Island
2 Western Alternative2 Western Mainstream1 OtherPhoto: Daniel Torok / US federal government, Public domain · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Democrats won control of Congress, limiting Trump's Iran-war policy leverage Analysts say Iran war backlash contributed to Republican midterm defeats
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Trump, Vance, and Qeshm
Two missiles hit the Iranian island of Qeshm, according to Tasnim Agency, as the United States continued to frame its actions as defense in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Two missiles have hit the Iranian island of Qeshm, according to Tasnim Agency.”
Donald Trump said Israel and the entire Middle East "would not exist" if he had not prevented Iran from having a nuclear weapon, and he added in a post on his Truth Social platform that this is an opinion that "nobody wants to say, but everyone knows it’s true."
J. D. Vance posted on X that "the reason we lost is the war," and he also lamented that, according to internal Republican Party data, the problem was not turnout but that many who voted for Trump in 2024 did so for the Democrats.
Trump told reporters, "The Iran thing we had to do, and we continue to do it," while the LaSexta account also said Iran claims to have shot down a US MQ-1 drone over Qeshm Island.
Hegseth faces backlash
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced criticism after Republicans lost Congress in the midterm elections, with DW saying the heat centered on the war in Iran that he supports.
Trump acknowledged that the Iran war affected the midterms, and he told reporters that voters were frustrated how the 8-month-long conflict has caused gas and diesel prices to skyrocket.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth "will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists."
Representative Jason Crow said, "I'm going after Pete Hegseth. Not only is he incompetent and corrupt, he's undermining our national security and the safety of our troops," while Representative Adam Smith said a top priority would be "to conduct vigorous oversight of the Department of Defense and the Trump Administration," including on "the illegal war against Iran."
The Conversation described how Democrats could use oversight and investigations, including public hearings, subpoenas, and document requests, to pressure the Trump Administration on the war against Iran.
Democrats, money, and next steps
The Conversation said Democrats, after their midterm victory, could try to end the war against Iran by cutting funding, because Trump could veto laws aimed at ending the war. The Conversation explained that Congress could use the "power of the purse" under Article I, Section 9, which states: "No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, except as a consequence of appropriations made by law …" The Conversation added that once the new Congress takes office in January, every new dollar the Department of War wants to spend would have to be approved by the House and Senate, and it described a defense-budget provision prohibiting funds for hostilities against Iran.
“This is known as the power of the purse, which could be translated as the ‘budget power’ or ‘power of money.’”
The Intercept said Vice President JD Vance declared on X that "the reason we lost is the war," and it described the war as a political albatross for many former GOP supporters. El Orden Mundial argued that Trump could seek a third offensive against Iran to halt advances in developing a nuclear weapon, and it said the possible operation against Iran would take place by the end of the year.
