As the war in Iran and the Middle East continues, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is calling on President Trump to deploy Marines to Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz, where oil shipments have been halted because of the conflict. Graham made the comments Sunday on Fox News Sunday.
“Here’s what I’d tell President Trump: Keep it up for a few more weeks. Take Kharg Island, where all of the resources they have to produce oil, control that island. Let this regime die on a vine,” Graham said.
Speaking on ABC’s This Week, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he understands reluctance from NATO countries to send military assets to the region, noting that they have been berated by the president and were not consulted on U.S. plans beforehand.
Gas prices continue to rise with oil shipments delayed. In Charlotte, prices increased more than 24 cents per gallon over the past week and now average $3.79 per gallon, according to fuel tracker GasBuddy. That’s $1.11 higher than a month ago and 97 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. GasBuddy analyst Patrick DeHaan says part of the increase is due to seasonal factors combined with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Tillis also pushed back on Trump’s criticism of NATO allies for not joining the conflict. He reiterated those concerns Sunday on This Week.
“I don’t think that they’re cowards,” Tillis said. “I think they’re people that weren’t consulted on a major military operation, and I’d have the same reaction if I was the head of state — not that I don’t want to get there and help, but I think it’s not productive to have created an environment that did not exist before our action.”
