WASHINGTON: Democrats sharply criticised President Donald Trump after his prime-time speech on the Iran war, calling it an expensive conflict with no clear purpose.
In a 19-minute address from the White House on Tuesday, Trump described the war as a “decisive, overwhelming victory” and said the US was “getting very close” to finishing the job in Iran.
“We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong,” Trump said. He added that discussions were still ongoing.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin called the speech a weak attempt to justify an unnecessary war.
“Tonight, Americans watched Donald Trump desperately try to defend his deadly and costly war of choice in Iran,” Martin said. “He offered no new information and gave no clear reason for continuing the war, while Americans are paying billions of dollars and watching gas prices skyrocket.”
Rising Costs Hit Americans Hard
Martin pointed out that the average price of gasoline reached $4.00 per gallon on Tuesday — the biggest monthly jump on record.
He said Trump and Vice President JD Vance have already spent $25 billion on the war. That money, he added, could have paid for a full year of healthcare for over three million Americans or food assistance for nearly 30 million children.
Goldman Sachs estimates the war is also costing the US economy 10,000 jobs every month.
House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Jim Himes (D-Conn.) noted that right after Trump’s speech ended, oil prices jumped $5 per barrel and stock market futures fell 1%.
“Going to be a wild night on Truth Social. And I’m still not sure what the hell he said,” Himes quipped.
Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari called Trump’s “Stone Age” comment “vile, horrifying and evil.”
“He’s talking about a country of 90 million people,” she wrote on X.
Democrats Demand Ceasefire
Before the speech, senior Democrats including Jim Himes, Adam Smith, and Gregory Meeks urged Trump to announce an immediate ceasefire and start diplomatic talks.
They said more than a month into the war, Trump is “no closer to achieving his ill-defined goals.” There has been no change in Iran’s regime, no end to its nuclear ambitions, and no relief for ordinary Iranians.
The lawmakers highlighted the heavy human cost: 13 US service members killed, hundreds injured, thousands of Iranian civilians dead — including over 150 schoolgirls — and billions of dollars in military spending.
They warned that the war has radicalised many people against the United States and damaged America’s relationships with longtime allies.
DNC Chair Martin accused Trump of breaking his “pro-peace” and “America First” promises.
“Working families can’t pay their bills, but Trump is giving tax cuts to billionaires,” he said.
Recent polls show two-thirds of Americans want the US to end the war quickly, including 40% of Republicans. Sixty percent disapprove of Trump’s handling of the conflict.
Democrats urged the president to shift to diplomacy immediately, saying it is the only way to avoid turning this into another long, unwinnable war.
