Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) took to X on Sunday to deliver a blistering critique of President Donald Trump's handling of the Iran war, arguing that the conflict has left the United States in a weaker position than before.
"The U.S. has been significantly weakened by the war with Iran," Massie wrote. "This administration depleted our missile defenses, drained our oil reserves, sacrificed our men & women, inflated the price of consumer goods, increased our debt, and neglected our domestic needs… all for Israel."
Massie's comments come as oil markets reacted sharply to the ongoing tensions. Brent crude fell 4.85% to around $92 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude traded at $84.79 per barrel. The United States Oil Fund (USO) dropped 5.38% to $129.34 during overnight trading.
Gas prices, meanwhile, saw a marginal decline on Sunday, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). The national average still hovered above $4 at $4.11 per gallon. California had the highest average at $5.638 per gallon, while Indiana residents paid the lowest at $3.506 per gallon.
Iran's Foreign Minister Slams Ukraine
Iran's Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, also took to X on Sunday to criticize Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Araghchi accused Zelenskyy of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel, killing a sailor, and called it a "blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel's behest to drag Europe into its war."
He added that he had spoken to senior EU officials, calling Zelenskyy the "freeloader in Kyiv" and affirming that the attack "CANNOT GO UNANSWERED."
US-Iran War Updates
The developments come as the U.S. halted strikes against Iran after two weeks of consecutive missile strikes on Iranian targets. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said the move was Trump's way of opening the door for diplomatic efforts between the two sides.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that any Iranian strikes against Israel would result in a strong response.
On another front, maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait slowed down after Yemen's Houthis carried out strikes against Saudi Arabian oil installations along the Red Sea coast, according to a Reuters report on Sunday.
