House Speaker Mike Johnson and Sen. Mitch McConnell have publicly supported President Donald Trump’s military actions against Iran, even as the administration escalates rhetoric and diplomatic tensions.
Johnson and McConnell, both Republicans, defended Trump’s approach to Iran this week amid ongoing strikes and heightened rhetoric from the president. The support comes as the Trump administration has increased military pressure on Tehran, including blocking Iranian ports at the Strait of Hormuz.
Republican Leaders Defend Trump’s Iran Strategy
McConnell defended the administration’s actions by pointing to Iran’s history. “They’ve been at war with us for 47 years,” McConnell said. “They’ve killed Americans. They’ve killed Israelis. They’ve killed throughout the Middle East. They’re bad guys.”
McConnell said Iran’s military capabilities have “significantly diminished” as a result of U.S. strikes, though he acknowledged uncertainty about how the conflict will ultimately resolve. Johnson echoed this support, stating that removing Iran’s ability to sponsor terrorism would protect “millions of innocent people.”
Religious Criticism Sparks Theological Debate
The Republican defense intensified after Pope Leo XIV criticized the Iran strikes on Wednesday, citing Christian opposition to warfare. Johnson responded by invoking just war theory, a centuries-old Christian theological framework that permits defensive military action under certain conditions.
“It’s a very well-settled matter of Christian theology,” Johnson said of the doctrine. “There’s a doctrine called the just war doctrine.” Vice President JD Vance similarly defended the military campaign by referencing the “more than 1,000-year tradition of just war theory.”
Johnson acknowledged the pope’s right to speak on political matters but suggested the pontiff should expect political responses. “If you wade into political waters, I think you should expect some political response,” Johnson told reporters.
The president intensified his criticism of Pope Leo XIV through social media, posting accusations about Iran’s treatment of protesters. “Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed protesters in the last two months,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The White House framed the military campaign as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and to pressure Tehran into diplomatic negotiations. The Navy’s blockade of Iranian ports represents part of this broader strategy.
The unified Republican support for Trump’s Iran policy signals GOP alignment on the administration’s military strategy, despite religious and international criticism. The theological debate over just war doctrine reflects broader disagreements about the legitimacy of the military campaign.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Digital Team contributed to this report.