Kaine calls Trump Iran strikes 'war of choice,' links to higher gas prices
In a Fox News Sunday interview, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) pushed back against claims that Iran posed an existential nuclear threat justifying U.S. military action. He defended the 2015 JCPOA as having successfully constrained Iran's nuclear program under international inspections until Trump's 2018 withdrawal, argued the 2025 U.S. strikes only temporarily set back capabilities, and called the February 2026 strikes a 'war of choice' launched without congressional consultation that has driven up gas and diesel prices. Kaine also criticized Trump's waiver of sanctions under the Lindsey Graham Act on Russia as cozying up to Putin and harming Ukraine, while tying higher energy costs to the Iran conflict rather than Russian diesel exports. The segment ended with discussion of Democratic midterm strategy. Kaine, a Foreign Relations Committee member, cited his recent bipartisan trip to Ukraine and Europe. The host referenced counterpoints from Sen. Dave McCormick and Mollie Hemingway on Iranian non-compliance, proxy activity, and national interest in Russia deals for diesel prices. Graphics on gas prices were implied but not detailed.
Source: Senator Kaine