Published On 18 Jun 202618 Jun 2026US President Donald Trump’s interim deal with Iran has drawn a backlash from fellow Republicans, who argue the agreement wastes billions of dollars of taxpayer money and does little to restrict Tehran’s nuclear programme.Under a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on Wednesday, the US and Iran committed to an “immediate and permanent end to military operations on all fronts,” including in Lebanon.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listTehran agreed to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed since late February, while Washington pledged to “develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan” to provide $300bn in funds for the reconstruction and development of Iran.The agreement also includes a pledge by Iran not to “procure or develop nuclear weapons”.Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a rare critic of Trump within his party who recently lost a primary bid for a third term in office, blasted the MoU as “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades”.“Reagan is rolling over in his grave,” Cassidy said on X, referring to former US President Ronald Reagan, who is widely considered an iconic figure within the conservative movement.“Iran’s nuclear ambitions were not curbed, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz works and will undoubtedly leverage it in the future,” he said.“Now, Iran gets to build brand-new infrastructure under this deal.”Thomas Massie, a Republican Senator from Kentucky who recently lost a primary challenge by a Trump-backed candidate, Ed Gallrein, criticised the inclusion of the $300bn assistance plan, claiming the figure is five times as much as the US Congress spends on roads and bridges annually. Advertisement Nikki Haley, the former US ambassador to the UN during Trump’s first administration, also questioned Washington’s commitment to help …
