Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) has described the war with Iran, initiated under President Donald Trump, as a "complete fiasco," citing what he called lies from the administration and a failure to meet stated objectives. Ossoff made these remarks on MS NOW, following reports of U.S. service members attempting to leave the USS Abraham Lincoln during an extended deployment in the Middle East.
Ossoff stated that the war's premise was based on falsehoods, pointing to contradictory claims about Iran's nuclear threat. He recalled an assertion made last year that the threat was "was obliterated," followed by a declaration earlier this year of an "imminent" threat. Both claims, he argued, were untrue.
"On day four of this war, President Trump declared victory," Ossoff said. "Months ago, Secretary Hegseth said that all of our objectives had been achieved. The war continues: Iran still has its uranium, [the Strait of] Hormuz remains closed. This is a complete fiasco."
Trump had claimed last year that U.S. airstrikes "obliterated" key Iranian nuclear facilities. The administration launched a full-scale war in February, stating its goal was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons due to a purportedly "imminent" threat.
Despite Trump declaring victory on multiple occasions since the war began, Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz. This waterway is critical for global oil transport, with approximately one-fifth of the world's oil passing through it, leading to a surge in gas prices and concerns about a global energy crisis.
Ossoff also referenced a recent hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee where he questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, was seeking approximately $70 billion in additional funds for the war. Ossoff pressed Hegseth on his earlier assertion, made weeks into the conflict, that the U.S. had "achieved every single objective." Hegseth reportedly confirmed the statement, describing it as a "historic military victory."