By Jim Thomas | Tuesday, 10 March 2026 08:24 PM EDT
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said in an interview Tuesday that his fellow Democrats should acknowledge what he called the benefits of President Donald Trump’s military action against Iran, stating the operation was a welcome step toward blocking the regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon and degrading its missile program.
The remarks highlighted Fetterman’s growing split with many Democratic leaders on Iran policy and came as reports indicated Iran had begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz—the critical shipping route carrying approximately 20% of global crude oil—according to U.S. intelligence sources. The Pentagon also reported that about 140 U.S. service members have been injured since the start of the war, including eight with severe injuries; 108 were back on duty and seven have died.
During the interview, Fetterman noted that Democrats have long agreed Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear bomb but questioned why more in his party would not recognize the latest action as positive. “Why can’t we, as Democrats, agree that what’s happened is a very, very positive development for world peace and regional stability?” he said.
Fetterman asserted the operation denied Iran the ability to build a nuclear weapon and helped destroy its missile technology and broader program. He argued that President Trump acted where several administrations had failed, noting years of negotiations with allies had not produced lasting solutions.
“President Trump decided to do something about it,” Fetterman stated. “Multiple presidents have tried this over decades—negotiating treaties and working with our allies in the region—but all these efforts never worked.”
He also contended that Iran’s refusal to accept arrangements for peaceful nuclear activities demonstrated its pursuit of weapons beyond civilian use. “Now they could have had peaceful kinds of pursuits,” Fetterman added, “and now they could agree that you would never acquire these technologies or weapons, but they refuse to do so. That shows what their true ambitions have always been.”
When asked about diplomatic efforts led by envoy Steve Witkoff, Fetterman said diplomacy has repeatedly fallen short. “If diplomacy worked,” he said, “we wouldn’t be having the same situation for decades.”
Fetterman concluded that raw power and action are the only things that work: “The only thing that worked and the only thing the Iranians would ever respond to is raw power and action. We’ve all witnessed that.” He also criticized 53 House members for refusing to vote acknowledging Iran as a terrorism underwriter, stating this placed him “as the only Democrat to support this entire program.”
