Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, on Thursday defended President Donald Trump's hard-line approach toward Iran, arguing on Newsmax that Tehran has repeatedly failed to negotiate in good faith while posing a continuing threat to U.S. national security and global energy markets.
Roy's comments came as tensions between Washington and Tehran continued to escalate after renewed U.S. military strikes and threats by Trump to intensify action against Iran if its leaders refuse to meet American demands regarding its nuclear program and activities in the Strait of Hormuz.
Recent U.S. strikes and Iranian retaliatory attacks have placed a fragile ceasefire under increasing strain.
Roy, appearing on "National Report," said Trump has exhausted diplomatic options and is justified in increasing pressure on the Iranian regime.
"I think the president's right to keep holding their feet to the fire," Roy said. "The president has tried to do this through peace, trying to have negotiations.
"Iran refuses to do what's necessary to make sure they're not going to be a nuclear state, and to make sure that they're not trying to control and throttle what we move through the Strait of Hormuz for the rest of the world."
Roy also highlighted the importance of American energy production, saying the U.S. is well-positioned to lead global oil and gas markets.
"The United States is leading right now in oil and gas production," Roy said. "If we can just get our refining capacity up by repealing the Renewable Fuel Standard and getting permitting processes cleaned up, the United States has no barriers to being able to continue to lead the world, which is good for America, good for the rest of the world."
Trump has recently focused on securing freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane through which a significant portion of the world's oil supply passes.
The administration has argued that Iran's actions in and around the waterway threaten international commerce and regional stability.
While supporting the president's actions, Roy stressed that Congress must remain involved in decisions about the scope and cost of any prolonged military effort.
"We've got to know what the long-term plan is here in Congress," Roy said. "We've got to talk about how much it's cost, it's going to cost. We need to have those conversations."
Roy argued that Iran has effectively been hostile toward the United States for decades.
"Iran declared war on us decades ago by attacking our allies, attacking us, engaging in proxy terrorism against the United States, killing American men and women in uniform, killing Americans all across the world through terrorism and their funding of it," he said.
The congressman also expressed skepticism that diplomatic agreements alone can change Tehran's behavior.
"I don't think Iran has ever been actually adhering to the peace deal," Roy said. "They have no interest in making sure that they close down their nuclear facilities."
Roy pointed to the Obama-era nuclear agreement as evidence that Tehran cannot be trusted to follow through on international commitments.
"Iran has no history of adhering to agreements that we've made through international negotiation or direct bilateral conversations," he said.
Asked if the conflict could ultimately require regime change, Roy said the decision rests with Iran's leaders and people but reiterated the administration's demands.
"What we want is very clear access to their nuclear capability, dismantling of their nuclear capability, limitations on their conventional capability, and full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and stop playing games," Roy said. "This regime, this leadership, needs to sit at the table and come to an agreement, or they're going to continue to meet the resistance that the president is putting up."
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Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.