Combat vet senator chokes up over fallen friend in fiery floor speech about Iran war: ‘We will finish it’

Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., choked up connected nan Senate floor arsenic he pointed to a bracelet honoring a fallen friend he said was "cut successful half" by an Iranian bomb, turning a Democratic-led push to rein successful President Donald Trump’s warfare powers into an affectional informing astir nan costs of failing to face Tehran.

The Montana Republican and combat seasoned delivered nan fiery remarks successful guidance to an Iran War Powers Resolution that would person forced nan removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress explicitly authorized nan mission. The Senate rejected an effort to beforehand nan measurement Thursday successful a 47-49 vote, but not earlier Sheehy accused critics of ignoring decades of Iranian-backed attacks connected Americans.

"We didn’t commencement this war, we did not. But, we will decorativeness it," Sheehy said from nan Senate floor. "And everlastingly wars are not celebrated pinch anybody these days. Both sides of [the aisle] emotion to onslaught our everlastingly wars. And I tin committedness you, being personification overseas wearing nan uniform, erstwhile you’re fighting for your country, you don’t attraction what party’s successful office."

REPUBLICANS FALL IN LINE WITH TRUMP ON IRAN WAR DESPITE RISING COSTS AND US DEATH TOLL

Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., was seen during a bid of Senate votes astatine nan U.S. Capitol connected June 17, 2026, successful Washington, D.C. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Sheehy based on Democrats were correct to telephone nan conflict a "war of choice," but said nan prime was made by Iran’s authorities decades agone — not by Trump.

"This is simply a warfare of choice. The Democrats are correct," Sheehy said. "It’s a warfare of prime that was begun by a radical, lunatic set of terrorists that took complete a beautiful federation 47 years ago."

The erstwhile Navy SEAL past ticked done decades of attacks he tied to Iran and its proxies, invoking nan 1983 Marine barracks bombing, nan USS Cole, nan Achille Lauro and violent groups including Hamas, Hezbollah and nan Houthis.

TRUMP THREATENS 'MAJOR MILITARY PUNISHMENT' FOR IRAN OVER FUTURE HOUTHI ATTACKS

"This authorities that we are fighting does not attraction astir our partisan politics," Sheehy said. "They don’t attraction who you voted for, who you believe to, aliases wherever you live. They want to termination each of us. And they don’t conscionable opportunity it, they really do it. And they’ve been doing it for 47 years."

An equipped personnel of nan Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) monitors nan area while mourners participate successful nan ceremonial for nan precocious Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family successful Tehran, Iran, connected July 6, 2026. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Sheehy besides invoked William Buckley, whom he described arsenic "an American subject officer" who was abducted and tortured successful nan 1980s.

"William Buckley was abducted successful 1985," Sheehy said. "He was skinned live connected camera by nan Iranians."

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The legislator concluded by describing Iran's ongoing retaliatory attacks arsenic "the flailing's of a federation successful collapse" not strength, citing what he called "an occasional rocket strike" connected commercialized boats and U.S. subject members successful nan Middle East. Meanwhile he encouraged his legislature colleagues to "think astir nan group who are deployed correct now opinionated connected that wall pinch a loaded limb who volunteered to take sides our state and our measurement of life" successful what Sheehy described arsenic a "just war."

Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., showed his solidarity pinch nan group of Iran by hopping connected a societal media inclination successful which she utilized a burning photograph of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to ray a cigarette. (Courtesy of Sen. Tim Sheehy's Office)

"Last clip I checked, we wiped these bastards retired ... because they merit it," Sheehy said. "We did not commencement a warfare pinch nan Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), they started it pinch america 47 years agone and their attacks person gone unanswered for half a century. It is clip to hole this problem and make judge different procreation of Americans does not person to conflict this murderous, ferocious adversary."