President Donald Trump has declared victory in the Iran War and said the memorandum of understanding between the two country confirms the months-long war is over.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said she’ll only believe that when she and other members of Congress get to see that deal.
Baldwin held a virtual press conference with Wisconsin media June 17 and said Trump has repeatedly claimed victory in recent months in a war she said has cost taxpayers over $30 billion, even as attacks had continued on both sides. Besides the loss of 13 members of the military, she noted that gas prices for both standard and diesel fuel have shot up, making life difficult for farmers and non-farmers alike.
“From his trade wars to his peace negotiations, President Trump often claims victory without any work to show for it, and this time is no different,” Baldwin said. “The truth is that President Trump has not reached a deal with Iran. There’s no agreement to end their nuclear program. We have no assurances that war won’t continue, no evidence that Americans are any better off today than they were before all this started.”
She added that the only thing she’s seen on paper is that Trump plans to keep talking about a final deal.
Some details were revealed by the White House shortly after Baldwin’s press conference. The deal calls for opening the Strait of Hormuz to oil tanker traffic and keeping it open, according to The Associated Press. There is also a plan for the U.S. to provide at least $300 billion for Iran’s reconstruction and economic development, and the U.S. will try to terminate all sanctions against Iran, including ones implemented by the United Nations and other countries.
Baldwin said full details are needed, as Trump and Iranian officials cannot even agree publicly on what’s in the deal.
“Peace is unequivocally a good thing and something that I have been fighting for since this president launched this unnecessary war. In fact, it’s something I’ve advocated for my entire career,” Baldwin said. “We need to make sure that whatever is in this agreement is real and also good for the American people, because so far this war has just been a disaster for Wisconsinites.”
People in Wisconsin have spent $877 million more on gasoline since the war first began earlier this year, according to Baldwin, equating to an additional $378 per person. Diesel fuel hit record highs in May, she said, which struck a blow to farmers getting their fields planted for 2026.
“One farmer told me his fuel costs skyrocketed from $120,000 to $200,000 over the last year,” Baldwin said. “Nearly 70% of farmers reported not being able to afford the fertilizer they needed this year.”
Baldwin pointed to polls showing the low popularity of the Iran War and said that citizens need more than just assurances that they can trust Trump when he says the deal is a good one.
“Donald Trump’s wink-and-nod promise is not enough,” Baldwin said. “Wisconsin families need details and guarantees that this unnecessary war is over once and for all.”
Baldwin noted that there had already been a deal with Iran that limited its nuclear capabilities, but that deal was terminated by Trump during his first term in office. She said she plans to continue to push Congress to vote on war powers acts until the deal is formally presented to Congress.
“Now, the president is seeing that this is not a situation that you can bomb yourself out of,” Baldwin said. “Here’s what he needs to do. He needs to show the American people what is in this agreement, what we need to do to reach a long-term peace deal and explain how any of us are better off now compared to 3½ months ago.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
