U.S Rep. disagrees with Trump on Iran
Posted/updated on: April 9, 2026 at 3:53 pm
TYLER — Even with a halt in the fighting now in place, District 1 Congressman U.S. Nathaneil Moran gave reaction to President Donald Trump’s warning early Tuesday that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Tehran did not meet his Tuesday evening deadline for a deal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Our news partner KETK spoke with Rep. Moran, who says he does not support rhetoric suggesting the destruction of an entire civilization, as tensions involving Iran continue to escalate.
Moran said while he initially backed efforts tied to U.S. national security, including targeting Iran’s nuclear capabilities, he believes certain language being used goes too far. “Certainly, I do not agree with and do not support the notion of destroying a civilization,” Moran said. “That goes beyond where we need to go as a nation.”
According to our news partner KETK, the East Texas congressman emphasized that any military action taken by the United States must remain rooted in what he described as “moral and just” objectives, focused strictly on national security.
“We are a rightful and just nation,” Moran said. “We have always undertaken our wars in that manner, and we should continue to do that.”
These remarks come after Trump extended the deadline to Tuesday at 8 p.m., saying this one was final. The president issued the following warning: “They’ll have no bridges. They’ll have no power plants. They’ll have nothing.”
Moran also pointed to Trump and his past negotiation tactics, suggesting that strong rhetoric could be part of a broader strategy.
“We’ve seen President Trump push the envelope on what he says and then come back to do something a little bit different when it comes to negotiation,” Moran said. “To drive somebody to do the thing that he wants them to do. Perhaps that’s his strategy in this instance.
Beyond foreign policy, Moran acknowledged the potential economic impact of rising tensions, particularly on gas prices. He said any spike in oil and gas costs could hit Americans hard, especially heading into the summer months. East Texans have seen regular gas prices jump up to $3.80, nearly 20 cents higher than a week ago. Prices at the pump continue to rise due to ripples in the supply chain.
