Rep. Thomas Massie said President Trump’s warning to Iran appears motivated by “the dollar, oil, and Israel,” not by defending free expression. Trump warned on Truth Social that the U.S. was “locked and loaded” if Iranian authorities violently suppressed protests; monitors reported at least 29 detained and Iranian media said three were killed. Massie insisted any military action would need Congressional authorization, while Tehran angrily warned U.S. forces and suggested—without evidence—that foreign actors influenced the unrest.
Massie: Trump's Iran Warning Is About 'Dollar, Oil and Israel' — Says Any Strike Would Need Congress
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s recent warning to Iran, saying the president’s posture is driven by “the dollar, oil, and Israel” rather than a principled defense of free speech.
Trump posted on Truth Social Friday that the United States was “locked and loaded and ready to go” if Iranian authorities used force to crush nationwide protests that began Sunday. Human rights monitors reported at least 29 demonstrators detained, and Iranian state media said three protesters were killed.
“This isn’t about freedom of speech — it’s about the dollar, oil, and Israel,” Massie wrote on X (formerly Twitter), rejecting the administration’s stated pretext for an intervention.
Massie also warned that any U.S. military action would require Congressional authorization and urged the president to focus on domestic problems rather than escalating abroad. He has previously opposed strikes on Iran, saying last year that Iran posed “no imminent threat” when the administration targeted nuclear facilities.
Iran’s Response and Context
Iran — the fourth-largest oil producer in OPEC — responded angrily to Trump’s remarks, warning that U.S. troops in the region could be targeted if strikes occurred. Tehran also asserted, without publicly presenting evidence, that foreign interference helped spark the domestic protests.
Observers note the sensitivity of rhetoric about Iran given the country’s strategic role in global energy markets and regional geopolitics. Massie’s comments underscore a debate in Washington about the legal and political limits of presidential military action.
Reporting first appeared on Mediaite.
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