House Republican breaks with Trump, says he doesn’t support destruction of a ‘whole civilization’

Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas) said Tuesday he doesn’t support President Trump’s threat that a “whole civilization will die tonight” ahead of his 8 p.m. deadline for Iran to strike a peace deal.

“Let me be clear: I do 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,” Moran wrote on the social platform X. 

“I have and will continue to support a strong national defense—one that is focused, disciplined, and firmly rooted in protecting the safety and security of the American people. But, how we protect the lives of the innocent is just as important as how we engage the enemy. America is great because America is good.”

Moran issued the statement before Trump announced later Tuesday that he was delaying his deadline by two weeks for a ceasefire with Iran.

Trump previously had been ramping up pressure for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes. He had threatened to strike Iran’s infrastructure if the regime didn’t agree to his demands, and he issued a warning on Tuesday that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” unless “something revolutionarily wonderful” occurs ahead of his deadline.

Pakistan had gone to Trump with a potential deal, and Trump on Tuesday night said a 10-point plan presented by Iran was a workable proposal.

Moran before those events argued that “what sets America apart is not only our strength, but how we use it. Our nation has always conducted military operations for just causes and through just and moral means. This must continue in the future; otherwise we forfeit our legitimacy to lead the world.”

Other Republicans have also pushed back against Trump’s rhetoric. 

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) argued on X that Trump’s threat “cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran.”

“This type of rhetoric is an affront to the ideals our nation has sought to uphold and promote around the world for nearly 250 years,” she said.

“It undermines our long-standing role as a global beacon of freedom and directly endangers Americans both abroad and at home,” she wrote. “The oppressive, terror-spreading regime of the Islamic Republic must be distinguished from the people and the civilization of Iran. Everyone involved—especially the President and Iran’s leaders—must de-escalate their unprecedented saber-rattling before it is too late.”

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said that Trump’s threat “primarily undermines his support here at home and with allies. It’s all about trust.”

And Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.), who recently switched from a Republican to an independent, wrote on X that the U.S. “does not destroy civilizations.”

“Nor do we threaten to do so as some sort of negotiating tactic. We should all desire a future of freedom, security, and prosperity for the people of Iran,” he wrote.

Iran’s envoy to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, said Tuesday that Tehran is willing to engage in “genuine” negotiations to end the conflict in the Middle East but will not accept a temporary ceasefire.

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