On Sunday, March 1, 2026, Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a Wisconsin Republican, stated that President Donald Trump’s military actions against Iran this weekend mark a decisive shift in U.S. policy. The strikes, which were long overdue, aim to dismantle what Trump described as the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism.
“Change is coming,” Van Orden said during a special broadcast on Sunday. “This bold leadership has done something that should have been accomplished for the past 47 years: removing the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, which has killed thousands of Americans, blocked international shipping lanes, cost billions to the global economy, and destabilized the region.”
Van Orden emphasized that the broader objective is peace and prosperity for the Iranian people. “We want the Persian people to live in peace with their neighbors, be able to prosper, and have freedom within their own country,” he said.
The congressman defended Trump’s approach against criticism from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats who have questioned the president’s strategy toward Iran.
“These critics will say anything they can to counter Trump,” Van Orden stated. “If Donald Trump had declared today that oxygen is good for you, there would be thousands of people—including Chuck Schumer and Adam Schiff—walking around with plastic bags over their heads.”
Van Orden stressed that the issue transcends party lines. “At some point, we must put aside partisan politics and recognize that what we are doing benefits not only America but the world,” he said.
“If any elected official is cheering for these mullahs, they must resign in shame,” Van Orden added. “This is an American issue—not a Democrat one or a Republican one.”
The congressman described the current strategy as “peace through strength.” For 47 years, he noted, the U.S. has engaged in tit-for-tat tactics that kept things at a slow burn rather than achieving true peace.
Van Orden said the administration aims to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and expanding its regional influence. “We need to maintain this up-tempo approach to remove the ability of these mullahs and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to project power,” he stated. “We must set conditions for the Persian people to rise up and establish a government that brings them peace and prosperity.”
He also noted that Trump sought negotiations before launching military operations. “Trump did not jump into this bombing campaign with Israel,” Van Orden said. “He has been negotiating with Iran for months, but they refused to find peace.”
“And what you saw was him fulfilling his promise—promises made, promises kept.”
