Reed Statement on Two-Week Iran Ceasefire

WASHINGTON, DC-Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to President Trump's announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran:

"I welcome this ceasefire, but President Trump should not have started this war in the first place. After weeks of escalating violence and reckless threats by the president-including claims that he would bomb Iran "back to the Stone Age" and that "a whole civilization will die"-a pause in this war is positive. No one should claim the President's words aren't dangerous; this chaos and the ensuing economic and national security damage are his and his alone.

"I remain deeply skeptical of President Trump's self-proclaimed 'wins' from this war, and I have concerns about the long-term problems he has created. A ceasefire is just the beginning, and the Administration should use these two weeks wisely and to pursue a comprehensive diplomatic agreement. That means engaging in serious, structured negotiations with Iran to address nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, proxy activity, sanctions relief, and security guarantees, conducted by diplomats with genuine expertise, not improvisers. As many experts have long warned, military strikes buy time, but only a comprehensive agreement solves the problem.

"Next steps for the Administration must also include working alongside our allies to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calming global markets, and prioritizing the well-being of the American people. Indeed, this means protecting Israel while exercising wise judgment, not rubber-stamping Prime Minister Netanyahu's views.

"The American people and our military deserve better, and it's time for the President to accept reality and choose diplomacy over destruction."

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