GOP Defense Hawk Says Congress Still Lacks Key Iran War Details
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. As President Donald Trump signals that a potential agreement with Iran may be within reach, one of the Republican Party's most prominent national security voices says Congress is still not receiving enough information about the conflict from the administration.
Representative Mike Turner of Ohio, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said Sunday that lawmakers remain dissatisfied with the level of information being provided about the war in Iran and other major national security issues.
Speaking on CBS News' Face the Nation , the congressman was asked by host Margaret Brennan whether he was satisfied with the information Congress has received from the administration since lawmakers began raising concerns about war briefings earlier this year.
"The administration could be sharing more with Congress," Turner said. "I don't think anybody is satisfied with the level of information we're receiving, although it is a dynamic conflict...Both the House and the Senate have registered that the Pentagon needs to be sharing more information with Congress."
Newsweek reached out to the White House and the Pentagon on Sunday.
Turner's comments are notable because he has generally supported the administration's objectives in Iran and remains one of the GOP's more hawkish voices on national security issues. During Sunday's interview, he defended Trump's overall strategy and rejected suggestions that the president was pursuing a flawed deal with Tehran simply to end an increasingly unpopular conflict.
"I don't think it's cutting a flawed deal," Turner said, arguing that Iran has suffered economically and militarily and will ultimately have to make concessions on its nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz.
The Ohio Republican's concerns instead focused on transparency and congressional oversight.
The issue has been a recurring source of frustration among lawmakers. Earlier this year, members of the House Armed Services Committee from both parties complained about the level of detail they were receiving from administration officials regarding U.S. goals and operations in Iran. In March, Turner criticized Pentagon officials during a committee hearing and said lawmakers wanted more information about the White House's decision-making.
Turner reiterated those concerns in May, saying that congressional leaders were unhappy with the information being provided about strategy and ongoing operations. He told a security conference at the time that "no one is satisfied with the level of information" being shared with Congress.
Those concerns resurfaced Sunday when Turner suggested lawmakers still want more details about developments involving Iran, Ukraine and broader defense policy.
Turner's comments are not the only signs of Republican concern over the administration's handling of the conflict. Last month, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had "lost my confidence," citing concerns about Pentagon leadership and management as questions mounted about the duration and costs of the war . Trump defended Hegseth at the time, saying the defense secretary had done "a great job."
Related Story GOP Senator Says Pete Hegseth Has ‘Lost My Confidence’ as Iran War Drags On ... Unaddressed Cyber Threats and Ongoing Oversight Concerns Turner made another disclosure during Sunday's interview when he said Congress has not been informed which states may have been affected by suspected cyberattacks targeting water systems . Federal officials have warned utilities in multiple states, like Minnesota, to guard against potential intrusions, with U.S. officials investigating whether Iran may be responsible.
When asked about the cyberattack targeting Minnesota's water systems, Trump on Friday rejected reports that Iran was behind it, saying instead he believes state officials are at fault despite investigators reportedly examining evidence of a possible Tehran link.
"We heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran. I don't think so," Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David. "I think I blame it on Minnesota because they're grossly incompetent."
The president also dismissed the possibility that Tehran would be interested in targeting the state's water infrastructure, saying: "Iran should be so lucky. Iran's got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota."
When asked by Brennan on Sunday whether lawmakers had been told which states were impacted, Turner replied: "We certainly have not been informed at this time."
The remarks come at a pivotal moment in the conflict. Trump said over the weekend that he had agreed to cancel planned strikes against Iran for now, citing a potential diplomatic opening, while maintaining that any future agreement would need to address Iran's nuclear ambitions and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
For Turner, however, the administration's diplomatic and military strategy does not eliminate Congress' oversight role.
While the congressman remains supportive of Trump's broader approach, his latest comments suggest that months after lawmakers first began voicing concerns, congressional frustration over access to information about the Iran conflict remains unresolved.
Contact Newsweek editor for this story: Anthony Murray .
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