Top Democrat Claims 'We Don't Want to Admit' U.S. 'Lost' Trump's War in Iran — And Proposes Cutting Funding for Conflict
Adam Smith is looking to put an end to the Iran War.
Nov. 9 2026, Published 11:55 a.m. ET
Democratic Rep. Adam Smith claimed that the United States must acknowledge it has lost President Donald Trump's war with Iran, RadarOnline.com has learned.
On Friday, November 6, Smith also pledged Democrats would seek to cut off funding for the conflict after taking control of both chambers of Congress in January.
Democratic Rep Believes Iran Conflict Weakened U.S.
Smith declared that the U.S. has lost.
Speaking on The New Republic's "Daily Blast" podcast, Smith, who is expected to lead the House Armed Services Committee next year, argued that ending the fighting would require confronting what he believes the war has cost the United States.
"We lost," Smith told host Greg Sargent.
He added that "Iran will be in a stronger position when this war is over" and that the United States would emerge weaker.
Smith compared the difficulty of ending the conflict to the wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan, arguing that the unwillingness to acknowledge military setbacks had contributed to prolonged U.S. involvement in both countries.
Democrats Plan to Restrict Funding
Hegseth, Rubio and Trump could face war-related setbacks in January.
When he was asked whether Democrats would pass legislation prohibiting federal money from being used for the war, Smith claimed it would be "one of the first things we do" when the next Congress convenes Jan. 3.
The proposal would face considerable obstacles even with Democratic control of Congress. Most legislation requires 60 votes to advance in the Senate, and Trump could veto a funding restriction unless two-thirds of both chambers voted to override him.
War Powers and Military Costs
Hegseth has been outspoken during the Iran War.
Trump launched the war alongside Israel on Feb. 28 without seeking advance congressional authorization, and lawmakers have repeatedly considered measures intended to limit further U.S. involvement.
In Friday's interview, Smith also raised concerns about the expense of military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, where American forces have been protecting shipping traffic and targeting Iranian missile threats.
He complained that the Pentagon had not provided lawmakers with sufficiently detailed information about the costs of those operations and said Democrats would demand greater transparency after assuming committee leadership.
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Hegseth and Trump continue to launch strikes.
Trump said U.S. forces struck an Iranian air defense installation near Qeshm Island last week as Qatar and other regional governments continued efforts to negotiate a settlement.
"We are talking to Iran. We have been," Trump told reporters, while maintaining that U.S. forces remained in a strong military position.
Iran has demanded an end to the U.S. blockade, sanctions relief and the release of frozen assets before entering negotiations over its nuclear program.
