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Historian Victor Davis Hanson called out critics of the recently signed US-Iran first agreement, saying they are misreading America’s power in the negotiations.
Speaking on “Jesse Watters Primetime,” Hanson disputed what he described as misunderstandings about the deal and said the military conflict had destroyed Iran’s infrastructure, leaving Tehran with no playing cards.
“They’ve lost almost half a trillion dollars in their nuclear industry that took them 50 years to build,” Hanson said in response to what he called “consistent arguments” that Iran is better off now than before the conflict.
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President Donald Trump speaks during a proclamation signing in the Oval Office of the White House on June 11, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Trump administration’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran was released this week, setting out the terms of the agreement reached by both sides for a 60-day ceasefire and a framework for negotiations.
The deal itself has drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, with critics saying it does not include elements such as the immediate dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure or the removal of its stockpile of enriched uranium.
Hanson also pushed back against critics who cited difficulties in extracting oil from the region because of Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
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“They keep saying, ‘Hey, the strait was open before, now it’s closed, now we have to negotiate to open it.’ It was only open because they chose not to hold a riot,” he said.
“They chose not to cause problems because the last seven presidents said, ‘We don’t want to touch you. [going to] disrupt your nuclear programs.’
Hanson pointed out that sanctions on Iran and its efforts to distribute oil have put pressure on the Middle Eastern nation and empowered the US.
“They think time is on Iran’s side. Time is not on Iran’s side,” Hanson said, referring to the burden of sanctions.
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President Donald Trump leaves the White House following the Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room on June 18, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
He suggested that Tehran is concerned about the upcoming US mid-term elections and the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding.
Hanson said that if the conflict passes the midterms, Trump will not be undermined by election considerations.
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“They’re scared that if he wins the midterms and the price of gas goes down, he has a free hand, and he already has a free hand now,” Hanson said.
“They’re afraid it’s Donald Trump [going to] he pulls it because if he pulls it out after the middle period, after 250 years, [going to] he has a lot more options than he does now when he’s worried about gas and mid-year. So the whole dynamic is upside down. They are the ones with the time clock.”
