John Kennedy calls Iran a 'draining wound' but warns Trump: 'We've got to settle or escalate'

WASHINGTON, DC: Republican Sen John Kennedy of Louisiana described Iran as a “s*****g chest wound” on CBS's 'Face the Nation' on Sunday, September 27, while warning that the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz is affecting oil and gasoline prices.

Kennedy said the administration must either reopen the waterway through a settlement or escalate the conflict. 

John Kennedy rejects deploying American troops

Kennedy said he supports continuing sanctions and the blockade against Iran but does not favor sending US ground forces.

He acknowledged troops could be used to reopen the Strait, but argued that putting American personnel into Iran would create additional problems because they would then have to remain there.

Asked about a Wall Street Journal report that President Donald Trump has a plan to resume bombing Iran after the midterm elections, Kennedy said he had not seen the classified intelligence and therefore could not say whether he supported renewed strikes.

The senator also characterized Iran’s latest offer to Trump as not serious. 

Trump rejected the proposal on Saturday, while separately saying he expected further discussions with Tehran during the coming week.

Iran debate meets household costs

Kennedy said the conflict is affecting Americans through energy prices, with oil used in gasoline and other products.

He described the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a direct economic problem and said the resulting pressure on prices is “painful as hell.”

The senator said Americans may not follow every strategic development involving Iran, but they recognize the effect on household expenses.

He linked the situation around the waterway to the broader cost-of-living concerns he encountered while traveling through battleground states.

Kennedy said the administration must address that connection directly as the conflict continues.

He suggested Trump could have Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Gen Dan Caine make the case publicly, including an explanation of the administration’s objectives and its intended way out of the conflict.

GOP pressure grows over Iran war

Brennan pointed to Republican candidates in Iowa and Michigan who have called for an end to the conflict, as well as 14 Senate votes objecting to the war, two of which passed.

Kennedy did not dispute the frustration within his party.

Instead, he pointed to the coming midterm elections and said voters were focused heavily on everyday financial pressures.

He argued that the president should remain focused on the cost of living while dealing with the Iran conflict.

Kennedy also predicted the midterms would be close, rejecting the idea that outside experts could reliably determine their outcome.