Republican presidential candidates tore into the Iran nuclear deal Tuesday in the hours after the agreement was announced.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, lashed out against the deal's national security implications for the United States and at President Barack Obama for "giving concessions to a regime that has American blood on its hands."
Pres Obama has consistently negotiated from a position of weakness, giving concessions to a regime that has American blood on its hands.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 14, 2015
This regime holds Americans hostage and has consistently violated every agreement it ever signed.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 14, 2015
I expect that a significant majority in Congress will share my skepticism of this agreement and vote it down.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 14, 2015
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz also said Congress would have to step up.
Congress must stop a deal that puts Iran on the path toward a nuclear bomb https://t.co/a8b6IqTimQ #IranDeal
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 14, 2015
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker called the deal “America’s worst diplomatic failure.”
.@BarackObama’s nuclear agreement with #Iran will be remembered as one of America's worst diplomatic failures. - SW
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) July 14, 2015
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said “shame on” the Obama administration for making the deal. He further vowed to stand with Israel as president.
Shame on the Obama admin for agreeing to a deal that empowers an evil Iranian regime to carry out its threat to "wipe Israel off the map."
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) July 14, 2015
During a press conference on Capitol Hill, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed support for the deal.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Congress should oppose the deal and said Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton "should be a voice of reason" and oppose it as well.
"While Secretary Clinton has been the architect of President Obama’s foreign policy, she can do the right thing and prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and oppose this deal," Jindal said.
He ripped Obama for seeming "more concerned with reaching a deal irrespective of the terms. The result is now a dangerous deal that has put Iran on a path to obtaining a nuclear weapon, depleted America’s military strength in the Gulf, and made Israel less safe. And that certainly makes us less safe here at home.”
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Obama "should have walked away."
"Iran joins the sad list of countries where America's red lines have been crossed. The president is playing a dangerous game with our national security, and the deal as structured will lead toa nuclear Iran, and then, a nuclearized Middle East," Christie said in a statement.
My statement on the #IranDeal pic.twitter.com/C6cTTjtHKP
— Chris Christie (@ChrisChristie) July 14, 2015
Ex-Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina reacted on CBS News by saying Iran "has demonstrated bad behavior for 30 years."
"We know they have been trying to cheat on this deal," she said. "We know they have been funding proxies with a strategic objective of destabilizing the region. We know that when sanctions are lifted, they’ll have more money to fund those same proxies."
Iran has demonstrated bad behavior & we know they have been trying to cheat on this deal. https://t.co/fwQYuA1Eys #Carly2016
— Carly Fiorina (@CarlyFiorina) July 14, 2015
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush criticized the deal appeasement.
The nuclear agreement with Iran is a dangerous, deeply flawed, and short sighted deal. My full statement: https://t.co/sSftOAkyAM
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) July 14, 2015Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry further blasted the deal as a diplomatic failure.
"President Obama’s decision to sign a nuclear deal with #Iran is one of the most destructive foreign policy decisions in my lifetime."
— Rick Perry (@GovernorPerry) July 14, 2015Former New York Gov. George Patkai said the deal is part of a failed Obama foreign policy.
It should be painfully obvious that a government that endorses the credo "Death to America" is a danger to our safety & security. #IranDeal
— George E. Pataki (@GovernorPataki) July 14, 2015
