Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) has forcefully defended President Donald Trump’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, declaring on his verified Twitter account: “Iran did not become a terrorist state because Donald Trump bombed their nuclear bunkers. Donald Trump bombed their nuclear bunkers because they are a terrorist state and they cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons.”
The statement comes as tensions escalate following U.S. airstrikes that targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, which Trump described as “completely and totally obliterated”.
Cotton, a longtime Iran hawk and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, framed the strikes as a necessary preemptive action against a regime that has “terrorized Americans for nearly 50 years” . He emphasized that Iran’s history of proxy warfare, ballistic missile development, and support for groups like Hezbollah justified the military response, particularly as intelligence suggested Tehran was nearing nuclear weapons capability.
The senator’s remarks align with Trump’s warning that further Iranian aggression would trigger even harsher U.S. retaliation. “If [Khamenei] targets Americans with military force, he will see [a response] that makes last night look like child’s play,” Cotton told ABC News, hinting at untouched high-value targets like Iran’s energy infrastructure or leadership . However, he clarified that regime change is not the administration’s goal—only the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran has vowed retaliation, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi calling the strikes a “red line” violation and rushing to Moscow for consultations . Meanwhile, global markets brace for potential oil disruptions, and the UN plans emergency talks amid fears of a wider war.
