Sen. Harry Reid slams Senate Republicans over Iran open letter


On the heels of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's all-but GOP-sanctioned address to Congress last week, in which he torpedoed any potential nuclear deal with Iran, 47 Republican senators released an open letter Monday morning threatening that any such deal could be revoked sooner rather than later. With the partisan rancor over the ongoing negotiations at an all-time high, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) slammed the GOP letter, calling it a "hard slap in the face of not only the United States but our allies."
Reid pulled no punches in condemning what he sees as naked partisanship and "dislike of the president so intense" that Republican leaders are willing to disrupt policymaking. "The judgment of my Republican colleagues seems to be clouded by their abhorrence of President Obama," Reid said. "It's unprecedented for one political party to directly intervene in an international negotiation with the sole goal of embarrassing the president of the United States."
Watch a video of Reid's remarks at National Journal.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
5 low ratings cartoons about the Late Show cancellation
Cartoons Artists take on early warning signs, the Gen Z stare, and more
-
Connie Francis: Superstar of the early 1960s pop scene
In the Spotlight The 'Pretty Little Baby' and 'Stupid Cupid' singer has died aged 87
-
Crossword: July 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein