ToplineRepublican lawmakers criticized the Trump administration’s war in Iran on Wednesday, with the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee telling reporters they need more details about the military operations, marking the most direct criticism yet from GOP lawmakers since the conflict began. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, December 10, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesKey FactsRep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., and chairman of the committee, told reporters after a closed-door Pentagon briefing, “we want to know more about what’s going on, what the options are, and why they’re being considered,” adding, “we’re just not getting enough answers on those questions.Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., wrote on X she was even more opposed to troops on the ground in Iran after the briefing, adding in a post from her personal X account, “Washington’s war machine is hard at work,” and warning of efforts to “drag us into Iran to make it another Iraq.”The briefing happened as thousands of soldiers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division will deploy to the Middle East in the coming days, according to multiple reports, raising speculation of a ground operation. The comments are the latest Republican infighting over the war: Mace and other GOP lawmakers sharply criticized Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., for likening a potential takeover of Iran’s Kharg Island to the invasion of Iwo Jima, when 7,000 American soldiers were killed in World War II. Prominent MAGA media personalities, including Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, have also broken with Trump in staunchly opposing the conflict and accusing him of violating his campaign promises not to enter into any more foreign wars. TangentRepublican lawmakers have expressed concerns about several other issues related to the war, but Wednesday’s comments are the first sign of opposition to the conflict generally. Some, including Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, criticized the Trump administration for lifting some sanctions on Russian oil in an attempt to ease oil and gas prices. A coalition of Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Rep. Tom Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, expressed hesitation about approving additional funding for the war after reports Trump would seek $200 billion from Congress. Boebert said she was an outright “no.”Key BackgroundThe Trump administration in recent days has claimed to be negotiating with the Iranians about an end to the conflict, though Tehran has denied talks are taking place. Trump and his officials have said repeatedly the U.S. has achieved much of the objectives it gave for starting the war in the first place, with Trump claiming Tuesday regime change has been accomplished, though he said it’s unclear who the new leader is amid reports newly appointed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is dead or has been seriously injured in the strikes. Trump said Monday he would strike Iran’s major energy facilities if Iran doesn’t agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration said initially the war, which began on Feb. 28, would last four to six weeks.Further ReadingRepublicans Might Break With Trump Over Iran War Funding (Forbes)Trump Claims Iran Regime Change Has Been Accomplished—But New Leader Is Unclear (Forbes)Here’s Why The U.S. Could Seize Kharg Island In War With Iran—And Why It Might Backfire (Forbes)