Topline
The U.S. deal to end the war in Iran was widely panned across the political spectrum as details of the secret agreement unveiled so far suggest it would heavily favor Iran and leave the regime more powerful than it was before the war.
President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G7 Summit on June 17, 2026 in Evian-les-Bains, France. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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Key Facts
The text of the so-called memorandum of understanding, expected to be signed by both sides Friday in Switzerland, was released Wednesday by the Trump administration, though it’s light on details and leaves many important aspects—such as the fate of Iran’s nuclear program—to a second round of negotiations over a 60-day period after the initial agreement is signed.
The U.S. and Iran would agree to end the military conflict across all fronts, including Lebanon, a U.S. official told reporters in a conference call Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
The deal would give Iran access to $300 billion in private funds toward investments in Iran, including the rebuilding of its infrastructure, the official reportedly said.
The U.S. Treasury Department would issue immediate waivers on exports of Iranian oil, and has committed to lifting sanctions and unfreezing Iranian assets in foreign accounts in a final agreement.
Within 30 days, the U.S. would end its naval blockade of ships coming in and out of Iran, the U.S. official said, and Iran would make “its best efforts” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without tolls, though Iran has left open the possibility it could still charge ships for safe passage.
The U.S. and Iran would have 60 days to negotiate a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and other issues, the official said.
Here’s how different factions of the political spectrum have responded:
conservatives
Calling Trump’s handling of the conflict “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades,” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., tweeted Wednesday, “Reagan is rolling over in his grave. Iran’s nuclear ambitions were not curbed, and they have learned that threatening the Strait of Hormuz now works and will undoubtedly leverage it in the future. Now, Iran gets to build brand-new infrastructure under this deal.” Cassidy lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger last month.
Conservative podcaster and Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro, who supported Trump’s attacks on Iran at the onset, told Fox News on Wednesday the agreement appears to be a “disaster that does not achieve any of the actual goals set by the administration at the beginning,” including eliminating Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, requiring Iran to end support of terrorist groups and open the Strait of Hormuz toll-free, and leaving U.S. sanctions against Iran in place until it makes progress to meet its end of the agreement.
Former Vice President Mike Pence expressed support for the war initially in an interview with CNN on Tuesday, but said the deal is “much bigger than a mistake,” adding that he’s particularly concerned about “these immediate concessions, particularly sanctions wavered right out of the gate.”
Conservative radio host Erick Erickson reposted a video compilation of Trump bashing the Obama-era Iran deal in multiple instances: “I would have never given them back the money, I would have said, the money is off the table . . . I would have won that negotiation,” Trump told an audience in Iowa in November.
democrats
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told MeidasTouch Wednesday that Iran would “end up in much better financial shape than they were on the other side of it. I’m still waiting for the part that explains how the American people are better off.”
Former Obama administration spokesperson and Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor said the outcome has left Israel “completely isolated and dependent on Trump’s mood on any given day,” as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is not involved in the deal and has made clear he’s disappointed with the outcome, particularly the requirement to end Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told reporters Tuesday, reports about the deal suggest “that its is a pretty simple transaction: we are paying Iran billions to reopen the Strait. Period.”
MAGA
Fox News host Mark Levin, who has defended the Iran war and attacked other conservatives who criticized it, said “I sure as hell hope I am misreading and mishearing things. If there is confusion it is due to the withholding of the MOU and publicly stated comments, not to those of us who can see and hear.”
Trump ally Steve Bannon said on his podcast “we can’t get in the business of giving these guys all this money and giving them access. We got the sanctions, keep the sanctions on, don’t let them sell any oil, don’t put in $300 billion or let anybody do it . . . I think we’re looking at this cockeyed, we shouldn’t be doing anything for these people.”
Pundits
Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group, and Firas Maksad, managing director for Middle East and North Africa at Eurasia Group, said the deal is “Trump’s most consequential foreign policy mistake” in a column Wednesday for Foreign Affairs. “Its likely terms fall far short of what Washington hoped the war would achieve,” they wrote. “Iran has emerged from the conflict battered but in a stronger strategic position, with its regime and its ability to threaten the region intact.” The outcome, they said, “is the greatest foreign policy failure of both of Trump’s terms.
Contra
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he was “pleased” the Strait of Hormuz would open, but said he would “be watching closely the ensuing negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program and other matters,” while putting the onus on Vice President JD Vance to present the nuclear agreement to Congress.
Trump’s Defense
Trump insisted Wednesday on the sidelines of the G7 conference in France the deal “achieves everything we set out to accomplish and much more,” including “preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon—that’s what it was all about, that was about 99%,” he said. Trump said part of the reason he agreed to the deal was because he “didn’t want to see economic catastrophe.” Trump defended allowing Iran to keep some of its ballistic missiles, despite Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claiming repeatedly those weapons had been destroyed. Trump said, “I mean, they have to have some, because other people have some.” Earlier Wednesday, Trump left open the possibility the agreement could fall apart amid the backlash, telling reporters on the sidelines of the G7 conference, “you never know with deals, but you’re going to find out pretty soon . . . I think it’ll be done, they want to sign.”
Tangent
Pope Leo XIV praised the agreement as “an encouraging result of patient work in dialogue and negotiation,” but stopped short of saying it’s a good deal for either side in a post on X Wednesday.
further reading
Trump Says He’ll Go Back To ‘Dropping Bombs’ If He Doesn’t Like Iran Deal—After Saying Agreement Was ‘Complete’ (Forbes)
Iran Buys 20 Russian Helicopters After U.S. Peace Deal (Forbes)
Trump Says Iran Peace Deal ‘Complete’—Ends Strait Of Hormuz Blockade (Forbes)
