By Caitlin Yilek
Politics Reporter
Updated on: April 7, 2026 / 9:10 PM EDT
Washington — In the hours between President Trump threatening to eradicate a “whole civilization” unless Iran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz and his announcement of a two-week ceasefire, most congressional Republicans stayed largely quiet.
The president gave Iran an 8 p.m. Tuesday deadline to reopen the strait, a vital route for global oil shipments, or face attacks on civilian infrastructure. About 12 hours before that deadline — and roughly 11 hours before he announced the ceasefire — Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”
Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas appeared to be the first Republican in Congress to voice concern, saying he does “not support the destruction of a ‘whole civilization,'” and emphasizing that protecting innocent lives matters as much as confronting adversaries.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said the threat “cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran,” urging de-escalation by all parties. Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, who recently changed his affiliation from Republican to independent, also warned against using such rhetoric as a negotiating tactic.
The limited Republican criticism contrasted sharply with a wave of Democratic calls for Mr. Trump’s removal. By Tuesday afternoon, more than 70 Democrats in the House and Senate had urged action under the 25th Amendment or sought impeachment, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “Donald Trump’s instability is more clear and dangerous than ever,” she said, and urged either the Cabinet to act or for Republicans to reconvene Congress to end the crisis.
Rep. John Larson, a Connecticut Democrat, introduced articles of impeachment Tuesday, though such an effort faces little prospect of success with Republicans holding the majority.
Some conservative figures outside Congress who previously supported the president also condemned the threats. The coverage noted that figures including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and commentator Alex Jones were among those calling for Mr. Trump’s removal.
Less than two hours before the 8 p.m. deadline, Mr. Trump announced a ceasefire, contingent on Iran agreeing to the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz,” postponing the threatened large-scale attack.