Story perspectives

Tillis calls $1.8 B fund “stupid”, warns Iran deal doomed

5/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) called the $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund “stupid on stilts,” saying it could reward Jan 6 rioters.
He warned the tentative U.S.–Iran nuclear deal would leave nuclear material in Iran and be “doomed” without congressional approval.
Tillis called Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claim that Iran’s defenses were “obliterated” contradictory.
He said the deal would let ships pass the Strait of Hormuz, affecting 20 percent of global oil supplies.

History

Historical Context

After the P5+1 and Iran signed the July 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, limiting enrichment to 3.67 % and capping operational centrifuges at 6,104, the accord lifted decades of UN and EU sanctions. The 2024 U.S.–Iran framework builds on that model, but critics warn it could let Iran keep prohibited material and risk renewed sanctions.

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Story summary

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) called the $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund “stupid on stilts,” saying it could reward Jan 6 rioters.
He warned the tentative U.S.–Iran nuclear deal would leave nuclear material in Iran and be “doomed” without congressional approval.
Tillis called Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s claim that Iran’s defenses were “obliterated” contradictory.
He said the deal would let ships pass the Strait of Hormuz, affecting 20 percent of global oil supplies.

1 / 2