Few Republicans condemn Trump's Iran threat, Democrats call for removal
Republicans in Congress largely stayed silent, while dozens of Democrats called for President Trump to be removed from office after he threatened "a whole civilization will die tonight."
Updated on: April 7, 2026 / 9:10 PM EDT / CBS News
Washington — In the hours between President Trump threatening to eradicate a "whole civilization" unless Iran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz and the announcement of a two-week ceasefire , Republicans in Congress remained mostly silent about Mr. Trump's threat.
The president had given Iran a deadline of 8 p.m. Tuesday to reopen the strait, a critical channel for global oil trade, or face attacks on its civilian infrastructure. Twelve hours before the deadline, and about 11 hours before he announced a ceasefire, Mr. Trump posted an ominous message on Truth Social.
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," he said.
Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas appeared to be the first Republican in Congress to express unease, saying Tuesday afternoon that he does "not support the destruction of a 'whole civilization.'"
"That is not who we are, and it is not consistent with the principles that have long guided America," he wrote , adding that "how we protect the lives of the innocent is just as important as how we engage the enemy."