MAGA-aligned U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who has encouraged and supported President Trump from the beginning of the Iran war, told Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan on Sunday that he thinks the diplomatic effort in Switzerland is going to fail.
Graham said: “I spent 4.5 hours with President Trump on Friday. Here’s what I think will happen next. If this deal fails, President Trump is going to take the Strait of Hormuz over by force. The United States will control the Strait of Hormuz. We’ll charge a fee for all those who go through to pay for the operation … if Iran contests control of the Strait of Hormuz by the United States we’ll obliterate them.”
Yes. Can be done. Air-ground US campaign. Three division Corps. 150,000 troops. 90-180 days of fighting. Serious combat. 200,000 IRGC troops. 600,000 soldiers. Iran can interdict throughout Persian Gulf …. not just the Strait. THEN WHAT? https://t.co/IRT27rMile
— Barry R McCaffrey (@mccaffreyr3) June 21, 2026
Graham threatened: “If Iran continues to attack Israel and Lebanon, the new policy will be we’ll hit Iran.”
He added, “So to the Iranians, if you’re listening, when you use Hezbollah to attack Israel, I think the new policy will be, we will attack Iran.”
Retired U.S. Army General Barry McCaffrey, who served in the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, replied: “Yes. Can be done. Air-ground US campaign. Three division Corps. 150,000 troops. 90-180 days of fighting. Serious combat. 200,000 IRGC troops. 600,000 soldiers. Iran can interdict throughout Persian Gulf …. not just the Strait. THEN WHAT?”
McCaffrey also criticized the “failed” negotiations in Switzerland led by Vice President JD Vance, which Vance has said showed progress.
McCaffrey wrote: “Iranians sticking it to Trump. They have him in a box. Very troubling situation for US national security. This is the beginning of Trump humiliation. We cannot require Israel to not defend their people from Hezbollah.”
Iranians sticking it to Trump. They have him in a box. Very troubling situation for US national security. This is the beginning of Trump humiliation. We cannot require Israel to not defend their people from Hezbollah. https://t.co/wF2sUTcNGF
— Barry R McCaffrey (@mccaffreyr3) June 21, 2026
McCaffrey added: “The Iranians are going to stick garbage in Trump’s face. The US is in a very dangerous position. After 21,000 air sorties…. hard to imagine a renewed air war. Iran now owns the Strait. They now are sure they must have nuclear weapons.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) also replied, writing: “You can only ‘take the Strait of Hormuz’ with a ground invasion of Iran. We found out the hard way an air campaign can’t dislodge Iran’s control of the Strait. But this is what the Iran hawks want. Full blown war.”
