Top US general clashes with Democratic lawmaker over Iran war
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- A tense exchange erupted in Congress over the US war on Iran and mounting American losses.
- US Central Command chief defended military operations after criticism from Democratic lawmaker Seth Moulton.
A heated exchange broke out during a congressional hearing after Brad Cooper sharply rejected criticism of the US war on Iran from Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton.
With all due respect, the CENTCOM commander should be able to explain why we’ve been asking Americans to die in this war. pic.twitter.com/sSdIru1eHI
— Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) May 19, 2026
Moulton, a former US Marine who served in Iraq, questioned the overall strategy and direction of the conflict, asking what the plan was to “actually win this war.”
‘Feels like we are losing’
The congressman argued that the situation appeared to be deteriorating, pointing to the absence of a nuclear agreement with Iran and continued disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.
“We don’t have a nuclear deal. We don’t have the Strait of Hormuz open,” Moulton said, adding that the war “doesn’t seem to be going well.”
He also questioned the human cost of the conflict, asking “how many more Americans we have to ask to die for this mistake.”
Cooper, who oversees US military operations in the region, appeared visibly frustrated during the exchange and responded by calling Moulton’s remarks “an entirely inappropriate statement.”
Earlier in the hearing, the commander said the US had achieved all of its military objectives and remained prepared for multiple scenarios despite the current ceasefire.
The hearing also renewed scrutiny over the February 28 strike on a school in the Iranian city of Minab that killed around 170 people, most of them children.
Cooper again stopped short of accepting responsibility for the attack, saying investigations into the incident remain ongoing.
