MASSACHUSETTS — Senate candidate John Deaton criticized the Trump administration’s management of the war with Iran during a July 11, 2026, statement, asserting that the conflict has strengthened Tehran and eroded American trust in Israel. Deaton, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, called for greater scrutiny of U.S. foreign policy and foreign aid, particularly to Israel and Ukraine.

Deaton attributed the deteriorating situation to poor communication, saying, “I do blame a lot of this, the Iran war situation, on a failure of communication by the Trump administration.” He added, “I blame the current administration for what I believe is an abysmal lack of communication,” and described the approach as “almost like a ‘trust me, bro’ kind of approach.”

He argued that mixed messages from President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have emboldened Iran. “I think both Trump and Bibi need to answer for a colossal failure of intelligence,” Deaton said. He questioned past claims of military success, asking, “But how did we obliterate them in June 2025 and set them back decades? Was it bad intelligence when you said that, President Trump?” Deaton also stated that the war has ultimately left Iran’s regime in a stronger position.

Deaton linked the decision to go to war in February to momentum from a prior U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro without casualties. He claimed Trump’s reported June comments to Netanyahu indicated the president was blaming the Israeli leader for operational failures. Deaton further asserted that Iran understands Americans “have little patience and desire immediate results,” a dynamic he says Tehran exploits.

On economic implications, Deaton noted that the Strait of Hormuz affects more than 25% of global oil trade and claimed Iran could earn $100 billion annually by charging transit fees. He cited Trump’s assertion that the U.S. imports less than 2% of its oil from the region but emphasized the strategic vulnerability.

Domestically, Deaton accused Netanyahu of “weaponizing accusations of antisemitism” to deflect criticism, while affirming that antisemitism in the U.S. is “unacceptable.” He also criticized Senator Elizabeth Warren for being “more critical of Israel than of the Islamic Republic and its proxies” and announced he would refuse campaign contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Deaton, a seven-year U.S. Marines veteran, is seeking election in Massachusetts, the most populous state in New England with over 7.1 million residents.