Pat Ryan rebuts Pete Hegseth, says 'Project Freedom' not separate from Iran conflict
Representative Pat Ryan called out Pete Hegseth's statements on Project Freedom, claiming that it is not a "separate effort" and part of the war against Iran started by President Trump two months ago. Earlier during the day, Hegseth distinguished Project Freedom from Operation Epic Fury, asserting that the ceasefire with Iran was still in place.
Ryan, a former Army intelligence officer, pointed out that Iran was not controlling the Strait of Hormuz before February this year. He added that the economic burden imposed on Americans is because of the Strait's closure. The average gas prices across the U.S. touched $4.48 on Tuesday.
Donald Trump won the presidency on a promise to lower costs on day one. Today, gas prices are at their highest level in four years thanks to his war-of-choice in Iran. Congress must vote on a war powers resolution and rein in the President’s unauthorized military actions.…
— Rep. Scott Peters (@RepScottPeters) May 5, 2026
The New York democrat, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced a bill (No Funds for Iran War Act) that prohibits funding for military action against Iran. The measure is supported by 17 of his Democratic colleagues.
From housing, to healthcare, to groceries, to utilities, Americans need lower costs.
— Pat Ryan 🇺🇸 (@PatRyanUC) May 5, 2026
Instead, Trump is spending billions of taxpayer dollars on a war with no plan or end in sight.
My bill would make sure not a single dollar more is spent on his reckless war. pic.twitter.com/wJMF1Rb8R9
Ryan, in a press release, explained that the Trump administration has waged war in Iran without Congressional approval for nine weeks. The war has resulted in a loss of 13 American lives, costing the American taxpayers at least $25 billion. "There has been no strategy or endgame since day 1. Not a single dollar more on this ill-conceived war," Ryan said. The bill would prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for military action against Iran in the absence of an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) or official declaration of war from Congress.
I am voting YES on the War Powers Resolution to stop another endless war. Michigan says no to war.
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) March 5, 2026
To be clear, I will never vote for any warmongering bill that funds or manufactures consent for Trump's illegal war on Iran.
Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said that the president had achieved none of the stated objectives and dragged a conflict that was supposed to end in weeks for months.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had announced on Tuesday that the U.S. has established a safe passage in the strait for commercial ships to sail without venturing into Iran's waters. The vessels will have a military escort in this passage near Oman's coast. Iran has said that the effort to change the status quo violates the ceasefire.
The Iranian navy, which has been destroyed eight times, closed the Strait of Hormuz again, because the United States for the seventh time won the war that wasn’t a war, so the United States can open the Strait of Hormuz that was open before the not war.
— Mohamad Safa (@mhdksafa) May 4, 2026
The not war that started…
There is no clarity on whether there is any progress in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran has made it clear that it does not want its nuclear program to be part of the discussions, whereas Trump said that any lasting solution will need to include assurances that the Iranians will not hold any nuclear ambitions.
