Calling for unwavering U.S. support for Israel, Republican lawmakers are blaming the Biden administration’s “appeasement” policies toward Iran for emboldening Tehran, leading to an unprecedented missile barrage on the Jewish State on Wednesday.
Following the large-scale missile attack on Israel by Iranian forces, a wave of Republicans voiced sharp criticism of the Biden-Harris administration, accusing it of emboldening the Islamic Republic through years of leniency.
Warning of global catastrophe, former President Donald Trump blamed Biden’s Iran policy for recent Middle East conflicts.
“Iran was on the verge of bankruptcy. They had no money left. They had no money for Hamas, they had no money for Hezbollah, the people [Israel’s] fighting now,” he said, adding that “Kamala flooded them with American cash, and even now, I mean, they’re flooding them with cash.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) praised former President Trump’s moves against Iran, including the killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force Chief Qasem Soleimani, which he claimed had sent a clear message of strength. According to Graham, now is the time for similar decisive action.
Several GOP members denounced the administration’s “appeasement” strategy, asserting it directly led to the escalation of violence against America’s key ally.
“The Biden-Harris ‘de-escalation’ strategy has resulted in just the opposite,” insisted Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL), who noted that appeasement “ALWAYS invites aggression.”
“Today’s attack should be the final lesson for those who believe leniency will do anything other than strengthen Iran,” wrote Nebraska Republican Sen. Deb Fischer. “The Biden-Harris administration should stop fence-sitting and unequivocally back Israel against our shared enemies.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called the Iranian attack “an act of war” and underscored Iran’s sole responsibility, while urging the U.S. to provide full support to Israel.
“The policies of appeasement across the world that enabled and encouraged tonight’s attack were never sustainable, and now should be abandoned,” he wrote.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, described the attack as part of Iran’s broader plan to dominate the Middle East through terror and chaos, saying, “This regime can no longer be appeased.”
Rubio further called for reimposing a “maximum pressure campaign” to curb Iran’s aggression.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) accused the Biden-Harris administration of having “funded” the Iranian attack “by reversing Trump’s maximum pressure, waiving sanctions & releasing billions to the Ayatollah.”
“Iran was economically crippled by Trump & enriched by Biden-Harris,” she wrote. “This war would have never started if he was in office.”
Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) insisted the Biden-Harris administration’s “appeasement-first foreign policy has emboldened adversaries and invited aggression.”
“Today’s attack on an American ally by Iran is a direct result of that weakness. Iran doesn’t just chant ‘death to Israel,’ they chant ‘death to America’ as well,” he wrote. “It’s time for this administration to put up or shut up. America must stand unequivocally with Israel.”
“The Biden-Harris administration’s appeasement of Iran must end,” demanded Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK).
“They need to be very clear: America stands with Israel,” he added. “The terrorist regime in Iran will face consequences for this attack.”
Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) echoed concerns that the Biden administration’s sanctions relief has enabled Tehran’s terrorist proxies to wreak havoc.
Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, argued that the Biden-Harris administration’s appeasement of Iran “does nothing but embolden the regime.” He also called for the international community to impose “real costs” on Iran for its aggression, stating, “Iran is the number one threat to stability in the Middle East.”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) condemned Iran’s use of proxies such as Hezbollah and argued the current administration’s policies of appeasement must end immediately.
“The world is witnessing the direct consequences of an emboldened Iran, and Israel is bearing the brunt,” she wrote. “After October 7, Tehran and its terror proxies should be trembling, instead they see weakness from their friends in the Biden-Harris White House as they waffle in their support of Israel.”
“Make no mistake, these attacks are fueled and funded by years of Iranian appeasement,” she added.
“The consequences of the Biden-Harris doctrine of appeasement toward Iran are on full display. America needs new leadership now!” she wrote in another post. “We must #StandWithIsrael and restore peace through strength under Trump-Vance.”
Several other lawmakers also emphasized how Biden’s policies have financially empowered Iran, leading to the current crisis.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) accused the current administration of “bankrolling” Iran by unfreezing billions in assets, while Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) noted that Iran’s ability to carry out attacks has been funded by the relief Biden granted to Tehran.
“Four years ago, Iran was weak, broke and powerless,” he noted. “Today, after years of appeasement from the Biden-Harris admin that has given it access to billions of dollars, we watch in horror as the evil Iranian regime terrorizes Israel with waves of missile attacks.”
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) also warned that the Biden administration’s sanctions relief “is disastrous for our ally.”
“We need strength in the White House, not appeasement,” he declared.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) referenced how Iran was “broke” under the Trump administration but has since regained financial strength due to Biden’s policies.
“Remember: Iran was BROKE & Israel was SAFE under President Trump,” he wrote. “Now, our enemies have been emboldened, and our ally is under attack.”
“@KamalaHarris and @JoeBiden have been WEAKER on the Iranian terrorist regime than ANY other admin in our history,” he added.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) noted that Biden’s “weak and dangerous” policies have emboldened Tehran.
Similarly, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) slammed the Biden-Harris administration, citing years of sanctions relief that empowered Iran’s terror operations.
“Remember: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris sent billions in sanctions relief to Iran,” Cotton wrote. “They deliberately enriched this terrorist regime.”
According to Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), “Iran knows Biden and Harris are weak.”
“They’ve eased sanctions, sent money, and appeased the Iranian regime,” he wrote. “The result? Iran is now terrorizing Israel.”
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) condemned the current administration for its failure to support Israel adequately.
“The Biden-Harris administration bankrolling Iran’s terrorist plot is the reason our most TRUSTED ally in the Middle East, the sole protector of democracy in the region, is under attack,” wrote Mace.
Meanwhile, Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) criticized the White House for withholding military aid to Israel, while notiing that “Iran’s financial support for its terrorist proxies has tripled under Biden-Harris.”
“There is no end in sight to this conflict because the Biden-Harris Administration lacks the moral fortitude to stand with our ally Israel, the only true democracy in the region,” he added, insisting that the Ayatollah’s “bloodthirsty regime” is “counting on the weakness prevalent throughout the Biden-Harris Administration.”
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) pointed out that Iran’s ability to fund terror attacks has increased under Biden’s watch,
“[N]ever forget that the Biden/Harris admin gave more than $6 billion in funds to Iran’s Islamist regime,” he wrote.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) declared that “the Harris-Biden administration’s disturbing pattern of appeasement on the world stage has only emboldened Iran.”
“Now more than ever, America must stand with our ally, Israel, as they fight for their very existence,” he stated.
Highlighting the current administration’s lack of action on Iran’s nuclear program, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) lamented yet “another Biden-Harris failure.”
“They let Tehran sell billions in illegal oil, waived sanctions that were working, and didn’t stop their nuclear program,” he noted. “Iran is now even more dangerous and deadly to our soldiers and our friends.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) emphasized the need for strong leadership, echoing many Republicans’ calls for the return of Trump-era policies that focused on maximum pressure:
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ catastrophically weak leadership has consistently emboldened Iran through sanctions relief and a desperate attempt to return to the failed Iran nuclear deal. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ weakness on the world stage has encouraged and funded this abhorrent missile attack. What the world desperately needs is the strong leadership of President Trump and support for Israel from the United States along with the reimposition of Trump’s effective maximum pressure campaign against Iran. Our prayers are with our ally Israel at this perilous time.
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) slammed the Biden-Harris administration’s “weak foreign policy of appeasement [that] has enriched the Iranian regime,” arguing it has enabled “the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism to fund hundreds of attacks by Iran-backed proxies.”
Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) noted that Iran only responds to power, not appeasement, explaining that “weakness invites aggression,” Tehran “only respects strength,” and that under Trump, “American foreign policy put deterrence over appeasement, and we were safer for it.”
The matter comes as Iran, emboldened by years of diplomatic concessions and sanctions relief, continues to escalate its aggressive actions, including funding terror proxies and launching direct attacks on Israel.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at
