Not every Senate Republican thinks writing Iran a letter was all that smart

Rep. Tom Cotton.
(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

If 47 Senate Republicans signed Sen. Tom Cotton's (R-Ark.) letter warning Iran not to trust any nuclear deal signed with President Obama, that means seven didn't. Some of those seven Republicans explained to The Daily Beast's Tim Mak why they thought the letter was counterproductive or even inappropriate, but even some aides of the senators who signed the letter think it was a dumb idea.

"Before the letter, the national conversation was about [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's speech and how Obama’s negotiations with Iran are leading to a terrible deal that could ultimately harm U.S. national security," one Senate GOP aide told Mak, apparently assuming that the nation talks about foreign policy. But now, the aide added, the conversation has shifted "toward a deeply political pie fight over presidential and congressional prerogatives."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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.

Sign up
Explore More
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.