Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Sunday that he would support a negotiated deal to end the military conflict involving Iran, arguing that the ongoing fighting has hurt the U.S. economy and weakened American military readiness.
Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, Murphy delivered a sharp critique of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy while discussing gas prices, defense spending, and intraparty debates ahead of upcoming elections.
Murphy claimed that Trump has “lost this war” and argued that prolonged conflict is escalating costs for everyday Americans. He pointed to economic strains, including gas prices near $4.20 a gallon in state markets like Michigan and higher prices on consumer goods.
“I am prepared to support a bad deal to end this war and reopen the Strait, because the only deal that is available, at this point in time, is a terrible bad deal,” Murphy said during the interview. “But the war needs to end because every day that the war continues, America gets weaker, Iran gets stronger, and people here in the United States get screwed, as prices go up, and up and up.”
According to Murphy, proposed negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could involve significant financial concessions to Tehran, which he criticized as a windfall for Iran’s economy and military. Still, he maintained that halting hostilities remains the urgent priority.
The Connecticut senator also addressed a $67 billion supplemental defense request submitted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to replenish depleted military stockpiles. Murphy, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated he would not vote for additional funds aimed at continuing the war, though he expressed willingness to fund replenishment once the conflict concludes.
“We have used up almost all of our interceptors, the majority of our Tomahawks. We have put the United States in a dangerous position,” Murphy said. “So the priority is ending this war. And, no, I’m not going to support additional funding to fund a continuation of a war that is destroying American credibility and destroying American families.”
Beyond the foreign policy conflict, Murphy weighed in on domestic politics, specifically targeting former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate candidate in Michigan. Murphy described Rogers as a “rubber stamp” for the administration’s military interventions and criticized the broader Republican Party for aligning strictly behind Trump.
“The entire Republican Party has become a cult of personality, in which they have no ability to think independently,” Murphy told moderator Kristen Welker.
When asked about internal Democratic divisions over U.S. policy toward Israel and the Middle East, Murphy defended the debate within his party as healthy. He stated that while he supports a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, he opposes current Israeli government policies that he argued do not align with American security goals or the long-term establishment of a two-state solution.
“We have disagreements inside the Democratic Party,” Murphy said. “What’s the alternative? Well, the alternative is the Republican Party in which they are not allowed to have disagreements. I want to be a part of a party that occasionally actually has disagreements inside it.”
READ: AOC Defends Shift In Progressive Rhetoric, Declines Endorsement In Wisconsin Race
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
