Republican Infighting Erupts Over Trump’s Emerging Iran Deal

Is there a deal? Is there not a deal? The fawning quarters of the right-wing press have spent the weekend so far gushing about how late and hard President Donald Trump is working on a deal to end his war on Iran—even missing his own son’s wedding for “circumstances pertaining to Government.”

But for all that work, come Sunday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social that he will “not to rush into a deal” and that “time is on our side.” The not-so-subtle code: There’s no deal just yet.

Just yesterday, Trump posted that “Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly.” But the New York Times reported on Sunday that while both sides have agreed in principle to end the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, both are still describing the proposed deal differently, and even if Iran committed to giving up its enriched uranium, details about how and when would have to be hammered out later.

So, as I write, a peace deal seems no closer, and as my colleague Anna Merlan documented yesterday, the president is spending an inordinate amount of time counterprogramming his eldest son’s nuptials with his usual blend of ominous AI slop; worse for Trump, for all the trumpeting of a deal, his efforts have now pushed some prominent Republicans to break ranks and publicly accuse him of Iranian appeasement.

Sunday’s delay came amid incoming fire from top allies like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Trump’s former national security adviser, Gen. Mike Flynn.

Amid reporting that the deal would unlock billions of Iranian dollars frozen abroad in exchange for Iran giving up its nuclear stockpile, Pompeo slammed the talks as “not remotely America First”: “It’s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region.”

The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world.

Not remotely America First. It’s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out…

— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) May 23, 2026

The White House hit back: “Mike Pompeo has no idea what the fuck he’s talking about,” Trump’s communications chief Steven Cheung posted to X last night. “He should shut his stupid mouth and leave the real work to the professionals.”

Cruz was also scathing: “If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime—still run by Islamists who chant “death to America”—now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake.”

I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran “deal,” being pushed by some voices in the administration.

President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the most consequential decision of his second term. He was right to do so, and we achieved extraordinary…

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 24, 2026

Flynn warned Trump, “The regime in Iran is lying to you and your negotiators (period, stop!). Do not believe a word they say,” adding that “if we pay tribute to the regime to the tune of $25B, I’m concerned they’ll use it for nefarious purposes down the road.”

Dear Mr. @realDonaldTrump

The regime in Iran is lying to you and your negotiators (period, stop!). Do not believe a word they say. I know you want to get out of this mess. All Americans want this unnecessary war to end. Keep in mind, as you have been told many times, Iran is…

— General Mike Flynn (@GenFlynn) May 24, 2026

An even closer ally of the president, the hawkish Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also warned on Saturday that Iran would retain the ability to terrorize the region: “It is important we get this right,” he wrote on X.

If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate force…

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) May 23, 2026

Meanwhile, as updates continued to roll in, Fox News reported that no deal would be signed on Sunday.