Washington, DC – US politicians have responded to President Donald Trump’s announced ceasefire with Iran, with some expressing caution and others relief, according to Al Jazeera. Trump declared the two-week truce on Tuesday, shortly after warning that a ‘whole civilization will die tonight.’ The ceasefire will see Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz while negotiations continue for a lasting end to the war.

Republican Skepticism and Democratic Relief

Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally and one of the most vocal Iran hawks in Congress, expressed cautious optimism about the ceasefire. He said he preferred diplomacy and appreciated ‘the hard work of all involved in trying to find a diplomatic solution,’ but added that he was ‘extremely cautious’ about a potential deal with Iran.

Trump had said on Tuesday that Iran has presented a 10-point plan for a deal to end the war and described the draft as a ‘workable basis on which to negotiate.’ The content of any future agreement remains unclear, but Iranian officials say the 10-point plan includes sanctions relief for Iran and allowing the country to retain control over the Strait of Hormuz.

The proposal also says that the US would accept Iran’s domestic uranium enrichment, according to Iranian media. Graham suggested that lawmakers would review any deal with Iran, emphasizing that Iran must not be rewarded for attacking the Strait of Hormuz and must not be allowed to return to uranium enrichment.

Democrats Laud Ceasefire, Call for Accountability

Democrats, who have been rallying against Trump and calling for his removal from office after the US president threatened to bomb civilian infrastructure in Iran, lauded the two-week ceasefire. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego wrote on X that he was relieved that ‘our men and women in uniform will be out of danger.’

Gallego added that while he was glad the war had stopped, he still criticized the illegality of the conflict and called for holding the Trump administration accountable. ‘We can criticize why we got into this war, the illegality of it and holding the Trump admin accountable. But right now I am relieved,’ he wrote.

Some of Trump’s allies in Congress, including the leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate, have not commented on the ceasefire in its immediate aftermath. However, some of the war’s supporters have showed that Trump had not agreed to the Iranian plan, arguing that the truce is only a temporary pause to hostilities, which will likely resume.

War Hawks Predict Resumption of Conflict

Laura Loomer, a far-right activist close to Trump, predicted that the ceasefire ‘will fail.’ She wrote on X that ‘the negotiation is a negative for our country. We didn’t really get anything out of it and the terrorists in Iran are celebrating.’

Mark Levin, another pro-Israel commentator with ties to Trump, said that while he trusts the US president’s ‘instincts,’ the war is not over. ‘This enemy is still the enemy; they’re still surviving,’ he said of Iran. Trump launched the war on February 28 without congressional authorisation. US and Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the conflict.

Another attack hit a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab, killing more than 170 people, mostly children. Iran responded with drone and missile attacks against Israel and the entire region. The Iranian military also closed the Strait of Hormuz – a major waterway for energy products – sending oil and gas prices soaring.

Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, said that allowing Iran to control the strait would be a ‘history-changing win’ for Tehran. ‘The level of incompetence is both stunning and heartbreaking,’ he said on X. Other Democrats called for accountability against Trump for launching the war. Senator Ed Markey said that ‘we shouldn’t be in this illegal war in the first place’ and called for Congress to stop the war and remove Trump from office.

Progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the truce ‘changes nothing,’ stressing that Trump should still be impeached and removed from office over the war. ‘The President has threatened a genocide against the Iranian people, and is continuing to tap into that threat,’ she wrote on X. ‘He has launched a massive war of enormous risk and of catastrophic consequence without reason, rationale, nor Congressional authorization – which is as clear a violation of the Constitution as any.’

Raed Jarrar, advocacy director at the rights group DAWN, also said that US legislators should probe Trump’s decision to go to war against Iran. ‘Congress must open an immediate investigation into how this war started, who authorised it, who profited from it, and who will be held accountable for every civilian killed,’ Jarrar told Al Jazeera. ‘This ceasefire is not a clean slate. It should be the beginning of accountability.’