Trump needs to find a way out of Iran war, even if it is a ‘bad deal,’ Dem Sen. Murphy says

By Tom Howell Jr. - The Washington Times - Sunday, August 9, 2026

Sen. Chris Murphy said Sunday he would support a “bad deal” to end the U.S. war against Iran because Americans are suffering from the conflict and the price to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “increases by the day.”

Mr. Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, said Iran had outmaneuvered Mr. Trump, who launched the war on Feb. 28 to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“Donald Trump has lost this war. America is weaker. Iran is stronger,” Mr. Murphy told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

”Yes, I will support a deal to end this war and reopen the strait,” Mr. Murphy said. “I am prepared to support a bad deal, to end this war and reopen the strait, because the only deal that is available, at this point in time, is a terrible, bad deal.”

Trump administration officials last week said they were optimistic they’d reached a breakthrough with Iran over operation of the strait, setting the table for nuclear talks to end the war permanently.

Yet Iranian officials muddied the waters on Saturday by outlining preconditions for opening the strait. It wants the U.S. to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, pay damages for the war, unfreeze Iranian assets, lift sanctions on Tehran and end its military operation.

Mr. Murphy said Mr. Trump faces poor options, so he needs to find a way out to stabilize markets and decrease costs on everyday Americans.

“The war needs to end because every day that the war continues, America gets weaker, Iran gets stronger, and people here in the United States get screwed, as prices go up, and up, and up,” Mr. Murphy said.

Democrats have voted repeatedly to rein in Mr. Trump’s war powers, but GOP majorities have rebuffed the measures.

Mr. Murphy said he will continue to vote to end the war but would support efforts to rebuild military munitions that have been depleted by the conflict.

“I am not going to support funding to keep this war going,” he said. “But if the war comes to an end, if the president ends this war, then, yes, of course, I and my colleagues will be ready to provide the funding to replenish the stores of munitions that have been spent.”