Sen. Tom Cotton launched sharp criticisms against Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden over their approach toward Iran and Hezbollah.
Breitbart reported that in a recent appearance on CBS News's "Face the Nation," Cotton called Harris the Iranian "Ayatollahs' handpicked candidate," while urging a more aggressive stance in support of Israel. His remarks reflect his firm opposition to the administration’s handling of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Cotton insists on eliminating Hezbollah’s leadership to weaken Iran’s influence and calls for complete U.S. support for Israel in its conflict with Hezbollah.
Cotton is a sitting member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees and has long been a vocal critic of U.S. policy toward Iran under the Biden administration.
During his appearance on "Face the Nation," Cotton made clear his belief that the United States should adopt a much more forceful approach in dealing with Iran and Hezbollah. He emphasized the need to eliminate all of Hezbollah’s leadership and infrastructure.
He cited recent Israeli strikes, which have reportedly killed Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, as evidence that Israel is making significant progress in its fight against Tehran’s proxy forces.
Cotton’s call to action was not limited to Hezbollah. He pointed out that Hezbollah's vast arsenal of over 100,000 rockets, missiles, and mortars is a major threat to Israel, arguing that now is not the time for ceasefire or de-escalation.
“We should let Israel win,” Cotton declared, signaling his opposition to any efforts by the Biden administration to slow down Israel’s military actions.
Cotton’s comments come in response to recent calls from President Biden and Vice President Harris for a ceasefire in Lebanon. Hours before Cotton’s CBS interview, President Biden had called for an end to the conflict following the death of Nasrallah. Cotton disagreed with this approach, insisting that U.S. support is crucial for completely dismantling Hezbollah and ensuring that Iran is left vulnerable.
In his interview, Cotton emphasized that the U.S. should back Israel in whatever steps are necessary to "drive Hezbollah to the mat, choke it out, and finish it off once and for all." He also endorsed a potential Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon if it would help eliminate Hezbollah’s forces and prevent future threats.
In addition to criticizing the Biden administration’s approach toward the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, Cotton expanded his critique to cover U.S. actions in other areas impacted by Iranian aggression.
He accused the administration of being slow to respond to threats posed by Iranian-backed forces in Yemen and the Red Sea.
He pointed out that U.S. sailors have been left vulnerable in the Red Sea for months without adequate support, accusing Biden and Harris of allowing American troops to be "sitting ducks."
Cotton also noted that Iranian proxies have attacked U.S. forces over 100 times in recent months, with little to no retaliation from the U.S.
He argued that this lack of a robust response further emboldens Iran and its allies in the region. According to Cotton, “We’ve barely ever struck back” despite the continued attacks, and he emphasized that stronger U.S. military action is necessary to counter these threats.
Cotton has consistently been critical of the Biden administration's Iran policy, accusing them of appeasement and weak leadership.
In his interview, he reiterated that from the moment Biden and Harris entered office, they have failed to address Iranian aggression effectively. He pointed to their opposition to former President Donald Trump's strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020 as an example of their reluctance to take decisive action against Iran.
Cotton also claimed that the Biden administration has given Iran tens of billions of dollars in sanctions relief, while continuing to pressure Israel more than Iran. In his view, this approach has only empowered the Iranian regime and its proxies.
