Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., argued Sunday that the United States should intensify pressure on Iran rather than continue pursuing negotiations, saying President Donald Trump’s previous strategy of conducting daily strikes has failed to achieve the desired results as the conflict nears its sixth month.
Appearing on CBS News’ “Meet the Press,” Kennedy said Trump has favored a campaign of regular military strikes against Iranian targets, but suggested that approach has not been enough to influence Iran’s leadership.
“The president likes the daily attacks. He believes that sometimes you have to kill a few chickens to scare the monkeys,” Kennedy said, referencing an old Chinese idiom.
Kennedy, however, questioned whether that strategy could succeed against Iran’s leaders.
“I don’t think that’s going to work with the Iranian leadership,” he said. “These people are more than mildly insane. It’s like dealing with Son of Sam or Charles Manson.”
The senator’s remarks came after the United States carried out nearly two weeks of continuous bombing operations against Iran following the collapse of a memorandum of understanding earlier this month. According to the report, the agreement broke down over Tehran’s attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. strikes primarily targeted Iranian military sites that were viewed as threatening the strategic waterway. Iran responded with attacks on American military bases across the region, resulting in the deaths of four additional U.S. service members.
Although Trump has since halted the daily air campaign in favor of renewed diplomatic efforts, the president has also warned that Iran could face all-out war if it refuses to meet his demands.
Kennedy argued that diplomacy should not take precedence while Iran continues to maintain what he described as its terror infrastructure.
“I think we ought to tighten the sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil. I think we ought to continue the blockade and starve them out. I think we ought to bomb Pickaxe Mountain and try to reach what’s underneath it,” the Louisiana Republican said.
He also rejected the idea of ending the current pressure campaign before the administration’s objectives are met.
“I don’t think we ought to just cut and run,” Kennedy said. “If we can stand the pain of the rising cost of energy, we need to stay the course, at least for a few more months.”
The comments came as energy markets continued reacting to the ongoing conflict in the region.
Oil prices climbed above $100 per barrel last week after repeated Iranian strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, along with threats from Iran’s Houthi terror proxies in the Red Sea. Both waterways serve as critical global shipping routes that transport nearly one-third of the world’s crude oil supply.
Prices later retreated below $97 per barrel after Trump ended the daily bombing campaign on Friday. Reports also emerged indicating that Pakistan was once again attempting to revive peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
Despite those developments, the future of any diplomatic breakthrough remains uncertain.
According to the report, Iran rejected a cease-fire proposal on Thursday that had been presented by Iraq’s prime minister on behalf of Trump. The exact scope and status of the current negotiations remain unclear as diplomatic efforts continue alongside ongoing tensions in the region.
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