U.S. lawmakers – As a U.S.-Iran interim agreement heads toward formal signing in Switzerland, Sen. Bill Cassidy calls it the “worst foreign policy blunder in decades,” while Sen. Adam Schiff calls it a “thorough capitulation.” Trump, speaking at the G7, says the U.S. will keep
By the time the G7 summit talk moved beyond microphones, the divide had already taken shape in Washington.
President Donald Trump told reporters at the G7 that the United States will continue bombing Iran if it doesn’t abide by the agreement. The comments came as lawmakers processed a major step toward ending the U.S.-Iran war—one that. according to a U.S. official sharing the interim agreement text with reporters. also includes sanctions relief for Iran and a new $300 billion economic development fund.
The agreement is set to be formally signed on Friday, June 19 in Switzerland. It spells out sanctions relief for Iran and calls for the creation of a $300 billion economic development fund. It also ends all related hostilities, including in Lebanon, and initiates the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days. Under the deal’s terms. the United States ends its blockade and Iran makes efforts to ensure the “safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge.” World leaders—including Trump—have welcomed the pact. In Congress, the reaction has been anything but unified.
Sen. Bill Cassidy. R-Louisiana. said the deal was “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades. ” writing on X on June 17 that “Reagan is rolling over in his grave. 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.”.
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California, took aim from the opposite ideological direction, arguing the agreement goes too far in concessions. Hours before the text was read to reporters on Wednesday. Schiff called it a “thorough capitulation. ” writing on X: “Iran gets sanctions relief. the release of frozen funds. the ability to export oil. and a $300 billion reconstruction fund. The U.S. gets a reiteration of the vague promise Iran won’t develop a nuke. Hard to imagine a more thorough capitulation.”.
Schiff’s reference to reconstruction funding points to a private fund that would provide Iran $300 billion for developments—an element that has drawn backlash from several conservative lawmakers.
Trump’s own framing of the frozen assets added fuel to that debate. Speaking at the Group of 7 Summit in France. Trump said the United States has taken a lot of Iran’s money over the years and that “at some point” it will have to give frozen assets back. “We have taken their money. It’s not our money,” Trump told reporters. “It’s their money, and we froze it. At a certain point in time I guess we have to give it back.” He also argued that not returning Iran’s frozen assets could result in countries not investing in the U.S. dollar.
Even so, some lawmakers see a clear upside—especially in the timeline tied to the Strait of Hormuz. Sen. Lindsey Graham. R-South Carolina. said in a post on X that signing the memorandum of understanding would benefit the United States. leading to “economic stability.” Graham wrote: “After this discussion. it is my opinion that signing the MOU [memorandum of understanding] will be beneficial to the United States. in as much as the Strait of Hormuz will begin to open. and the hostilities with Iran will stop.”.
One complicating voice belongs to the former president who negotiated the last major framework on Iran’s nuclear program. In an interview with ABC News over the weekend. Barack Obama said it is “doubtful” that any agreement will significantly improve the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action—known as the Iran Nuclear Deal. That accord. negotiated during Obama’s administration. involved Iran receiving significant international sanctions relief in exchange for long-term limits on its nuclear materials.
Obama’s comments came before the Trump administration unveiled the framework aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, for his part, pulled the United States out of Obama’s deal in 2018, calling it a “horrible” and one-sided agreement that “didn’t bring calm” or peace.
A month-by-month diplomatic choreography is now set to move through June 19 in Switzerland. with the Strait of Hormuz reopening targeted within 30 days. But the lawmakers’ reactions show the real question lingering behind the schedules: whether sanctions relief. frozen assets. and a $300 billion fund buy more than they cost—and whether Trump’s vow to keep bombing in case of breach can coexist with the deal’s promise of ended hostilities.
U.S.-Iran deal interim agreement Strait of Hormuz sanctions relief frozen assets $300 billion fund Bill Cassidy Adam Schiff Lindsey Graham Trump G7 Switzerland signing June 19