House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Sunday defended the Trump administration’s tentative deal with Iran, parts of which Iranian officials have disputed.
President Trump previously said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and a 60-day extension to the ceasefire were “largely negotiated.” No mention was made of the fate of Iran’s nuclear program or its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, a long-term sticking point in stalled negotiations.
Johnson spoke with the hosts of “Fox & Friends Weekend” from the sidelines of the Indianapolis 500 about how he spoke with Trump Saturday night about the proposed deal. He said the president was “resolute as he’s been from the beginning.”
“We’ll take care of the nuclear dust,” Johnson said. “We’ll get the Strait of Hormuz reopened, which will be great for gas prices here and stability around the world, and that’s why all the regional allies are following U.S. leadership under President Trump.”
The Speaker assured that the deal will lower high prices affecting Americans, noting that Republicans have “legislation [that] has been geared towards the cost of living, affordability, bringing the cost of living down.”
“So when this settles out, gas prices come back down to Earth,” he said.
Johnson added that if the deal lowers prices, he was “absolutely convinced” that House Republicans will grow their majority in the fall midterm elections.
Johnson was not asked about the mounting Republican criticism of the proposed deal, including from one of the first Trump administration officials.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) entered a social media spat with outside Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz about the proposal. Cruz wrote that he was “deeply concerned” about reports on the emerging deal.
Bruesewitz told the Texas senator, “No one asked you bro.” Cruz replied back: “Hush, child. The adults are talking. I’m not your bro.”
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said the proposed deal would be a “disaster.” Close Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned that the deal could shift the balance of power in the Middle East and would be a “nightmare for Israel.”
“If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominant force requiring a diplomatic solution,” Graham wrote on the social platform X.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued that the proposal was “not America first” and that the U.S. should take out Iran’s defense capabilities, saying the latter was “overdue.”
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung clapped back at Pompeo, writing on X that he “has no idea what the f— he’s talking about.”