During Monday’s edition of CNN International’s “The Brief,” Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA) questioned the White House’s approach to the conflict with Iran, saying the administration’s handling of the war has raised “serious questions about what exactly the strategy is” and has shown “this sort of whiplash back and forth.”
Host Jim Sciutto pressed Kiley for his assessment of President Donald Trump’s Iran strategy, noting that administration officials have argued for weeks that the United States can effectively force Tehran to back down and that Trump has insisted Iran “really wants to talk.” Sciutto pointed out that the fighting has continued day after day, with Iran still hitting targets and, over the weekend, killing three U.S. servicemembers. “Is the president’s strategy working or failing?” he asked.
Kiley began by expressing sympathy for the families of the fallen troops, saying his “heart goes out” to them and stressing that Americans should be focused on preventing any further U.S. casualties or loss of life. He then argued that the broader Iran policy remains unclear. “There are serious questions about what exactly the strategy is,” Kiley said, describing a “high-wire act” marked by sharp threats on one side and negotiations or temporary understandings on the other. He said that is why he has argued from the outset that any durable resolution must include Congress and other key stakeholders. That, he added, means bringing in the Gulf states, working with U.S. allies, and seeking an agreement that meets essential goals: reopening the Strait of Hormuz, winding down the conflict, and ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon.
