GOP Senator Says Iran Should Have Ballistic Missiles

“They have to be able to defend themselves, or otherwise we turn this into a forever war.”

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall previously told Americans that freedom was more important than their pocketbooks. Now, he’s folding on the central aims of Donald Trump’s disastrous war in Iran.

During an appearance on CNN Wednesday night, host Kaitlan Collins asked Marshall if he believed Iran should be allowed to maintain its ballistic missile stockpile.

“You know, I’m hesitating,” Marshall said. “I prefer that they not. I sort of don’t want them to have long-distance missiles, I don’t want them to have nuclear armed missiles. I would prefer they didn’t, but I don’t think that’s the key issue here. I think that they have to be able to defend themselves.”

“You think Iran needs to be able to defend itself?” Collins pressed.

“I do, I think that they have to be able to defend themselves, or otherwise we turn this into a forever war,” Marshall said. “You’re never gonna get them—short of boots on the ground—surrendering everything, an unconditional agreement, if you will.”

KAITLAN COLLINS: Are you okay with Iran having missiles?SEN. ROGER MARSHALL: I prefer that they not, but they have to defend themselvesCOLLINS: You think Iran needs to be able to defend itself?MARSHALL: I do, otherwise we turn this into a forever war pic.twitter.com/kkDKpPfkl2— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 18, 2026

KAITLAN COLLINS: Are you okay with Iran having missiles?SEN. ROGER MARSHALL: I prefer that they not, but they have to defend themselvesCOLLINS: You think Iran needs to be able to defend itself?MARSHALL: I do, otherwise we turn this into a forever war pic.twitter.com/kkDKpPfkl2

Marshall seemed to be echoing Donald Trump’s remarks during a press conference at the G7 Summit, when the president claimed he didn’t actually mind if Iran had ballistic missiles. “If other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some,” Trump told reporters later.

But eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile stockpile was a key aim of “Operation Epic Fury” from the beginning.

Marshall was an enthusiastic cheerleader for Trump’s military campaign, even as it sent energy prices skyrocketing. Now, he’s trying to sell Trump’s lackluster peace deal—but clearly, his heart’s just not really in it.

Senators Warn Trump Is Redirecting Millions to White House Ballroom

Trump’s budget office just shifted $352 million in Secret Service funds.

After being denied funds for his ballroom by Congress, President Trump may have secretly taken them from somewhere else.

Last week, the White House Office of Management and Budget moved $352 million earmarked for Secret Service resources toward “White House Security Measures,” NOTUS reports. Those Secret Service funds had originally been set up by Trump’s tax law, the “Big Beautiful Bill,” passed last year.

Democrats and Republicans in Congress think the funds are being covertly diverted to Trump’s ballroom project.

“I don’t know whether it’s the ballroom, but it sounds like the........

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