Diyar Guldogan
11 June 2026•Update: 11 June 2026
Top congressional Democrats sharply criticized President Donald Trump's reported plan Thursday to take control of Iran's Kharg Island.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump's comments raised concerns that the US could become further entangled in a war with Iran despite claims by the administration that the conflict was winding down.
"This morning, Trump said he plans to take Kharg Island, which could even mean putting American boots on the ground," Schumer said from the Senate floor.
His remarks came after Trump said the US would be hitting Iran "very hard" late Thursday, and he wants to "take" Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure points.
"It doesn't take a military genius to see that Trump's fiasco of a war with Iran never ended,” said Schumer. “Saying this war is over is an insult to the brave American servicemen who are risking their lives every day to fight it."
The New York Democrat accused Trump of failing to bring the conflict to a close and urged Republicans to oppose further military escalation.
"He's incapable of ending the war, incapable of cleaning up his own mess. Republicans need to stop buying the BS, show some spine, and help us bring our service members home," He added.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Trump administration should end the "reckless and costly war of choice" rather than expand it.
"The last thing the country needs right now is for Donald Trump to put boots on the ground in the Middle East," he said. "That's the last thing that we need, and it will run directly contrary to a promise that he made with respect to keeping our country out of quagmires in perhaps the most challenging neighborhood in the world, the Middle East."
An exchange of attacks between the US and Iran continued for a second consecutive day, with Trump warning that Washington would launch additional strikes unless Tehran immediately accepts a peace deal.
