Neocons, Iran Hawks Highly Skeptical And Critical As Trump Pushes To End War

As President Donald Trump pushes to end the war, a flurry of neocons and Iran hawks have sharply criticized the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and Iran, calling on the White House to release the full text to the public while comparing the president to Barack Obama.

The MOU — which the White House claims was already signed electronically — is slated for a formal signing ceremony Friday in Geneva, Switzerland. A major diplomatic breakthrough, the MOU would reportedly end hostilities and begin a 60-day period in which both parties can negotiate thornier issues, such as Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities, the long-term arrangement for the Strait of Hormuz and sanctions relief. (RELATED: ‘I’m Not Happy’: Trump Rebukes Israel, Directly Calls Out IDF)

However, neocons and hawks are ramping up their criticism of the MOU as the Friday ceremony approaches.

Erick Erickson said Tuesday that Trump is ending the war “on terms worse than the status quo he inherited.”

So we began a war we did not have to begin, and we are ending it by funding and legitimizing the one regime whose theology makes deterrence a fantasy. We are now worse than where we started—and still blind to why.https://t.co/IakTeykLIV

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) June 16, 2026

“What started as a strong campaign to end a regime is ending with subsidy and surrender by the Americans,” he wrote in a Substack titled, “A Peace Worse Than War.” “We are choosing to give up.”

Fox News contributor and Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen referred to a leaked 14-point proposal, which one Iranian state media outlet claims is the MOU, as a “complete disaster” if true. He also tried to frame the MOU as the “Vance peace deal,” even though Trump signed off on it.

If this is accurate it’s a complete disaster. https://t.co/h74x9XbG03

— Marc Thiessen (@marcthiessen) June 16, 2026

Getting Lebanon included in the Vance peace deal was an Iranian objective, not the U.S. – and one the U.S. initially resisted when the ceasefire was announced. To spin this as an American achievement is Orwellian. https://t.co/a3bcVWtF6J

— Marc Thiessen (@marcthiessen) June 16, 2026

Ben Domenech, also a Fox News contributor, praised Trump’s decision to launch the war before calling the MOU “Hillbilly Obama foreign policy.”

“This deal and everything we know about it to the degree it is being spun by this administration: everything about this deal seems bad to me,” he said. “It all seems like a setback. It doesn’t meet any of the measures the president put out there of his goals for this conflict.”

Say no to a Hillbilly Obama foreign policy. Say yes to America First. pic.twitter.com/MlF2qj3lj5

— Benjamin Domenech (@bdomenech) June 16, 2026

Hugh Hewitt, yet another Fox News contributor, commented on the fact that Israel was cut out of the MOU while citing a poll showing that 7 out of 10 Republicans supported Trump’s handling of the war. The poll was from March.

“President Trump’s base of supporters also strongly support Israel as America’s greatest, most powerful and most reliable strategic ally,” Hewitt said. “If the end of the war is perceived as damaging to that ally, President Trump will crack his base, perhaps badly. He’s got to know that so I’m skeptical he will agree to a bad deal.”

In March, @pewresearch reported “about seven-in-ten Republicans and Republican leaners approve of how Trump is handling the conflict (69%) and think the U.S. made the right decision (71%).” (Link in the replies.)

That’s the backdrop for assessing the MOU and, far more…

— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) June 16, 2026

Commentary Magazine editor John Podhoretz bashed the MOU, saying Trump “choked” and “chickened out” of the war.

John Podhoretz LOSES IT over Trump botching the Iran War: “I honestly don’t know if this could be worse!”

“[TRUMP] HAS CHOKED! HE HAS CHICKENED OUT!”

“I’m out of my mind here!”

The Israel Lobby has buyer’s remorse on Trump. 🥶 https://t.co/vJBmNkYgDv pic.twitter.com/74cGU1hukv

— Chris Menahan 🇺🇸 (@infolibnews) June 15, 2026

Ben Shapiro called on the MOU text to be released, arguing it is likely a “mediocre” deal. He saved his harshest criticism for optics surrounding the possible formal signing ceremony Friday in Geneva.

“What we are learning right now is that that would in fact include the Iranian parliamentary leader, [Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf] — IRGC stand-in — and the vice president, JD Vance. I think that’s a horrible idea,” he said. “The idea of deploying the vice president of the United States to do a handshake with an actual terror leader is a horrible idea.”

Fox News host Mark Levin also called for the text’s release and got into an online dust-up with a Trump adviser.

I have asked for days, why can’t we, the people, see the damn MOU? Not through people briefed by an anonymous person. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like this. If it is a great outcome for peace, then release it.

— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) June 15, 2026

Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that although he is “pleased” by the latest development, he still has concerns.

“I am pleased to hear the memorandum of understanding with Iran to allow the Strait of Hormuz to open has been agreed to. I will be watching closely the ensuing negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program and other matters closely,” he said, adding, “I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating team is claiming.”

I am pleased to hear the memorandum of understanding with Iran to allow the Strait of Hormuz to open has been agreed to. I will be watching closely the ensuing negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program and other matters.

I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s view of the… https://t.co/3vSNSOc1mp

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 14, 2026

Mark Dubowitz, the CEO of the neocon think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, called for Trump to hunker down and restart the war and said the administration is recycling Obama-era talking points.

I’ll keep making the case, though with seemingly little success.

The administration shouldn’t be selling its MOU with recycled 2015 John Kerry talking points.

And if this isn’t the JPOA or JCPOA all over again—if we’re truly getting more than we’re giving—then release the text…

— Mark Dubowitz (@mdubowitz) June 16, 2026

Refuel energy markets. Rest and rearm the military. Develop a plan to support Iranians to cripple the regime. Enforce sanctions with relentless pressure. Don’t get played at the negotiating table. Test Tehran early. Give little. Demand results. Walk away fast. Hit harder.

— Mark Dubowitz (@mdubowitz) June 15, 2026

National Review’s Andrew McCarthy berated the Trump White House for not releasing the MOU text to the public and compared the president to Neville Chamberlain.

“To the extent the MOU is something, it is something very bad because if it were something good, we’d be reading it, not being spun about it,” he wrote. “The president is an impetuous man who would not be able to contain himself if the written MOU were of even marginal benefit to the United States; he would be far more comfortable exposing it and exaggerating the marginal benefit as if it were a coup. “