Reuters

Former President Donald Trump, who is running to become the Republican nominee for
the election later this year, said the attack "would never have happened if I was
president".

A reminder, that tensions between the US and Iran were severe during Trump’s term as
president, and US forces in Syria were attacked several times between 2016 and 2020,
including one that killed four troops.

Trump’s rival in the contest for Republican presidential nominee, Nikki Haley,
encouraged rally-goers to “li up” the families of the casualties of the attack “in prayer”.

Senate Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell said: "The entire world now watches
for signs that the president is finally prepared to exercise American strength to compel
Iran to change its behaviour. Our enemies are emboldened."

Senator Lindsey Graham said the Pentagon should respond by targeting Iran “not only as
reprisal for the killing of our forces, but as deterrence against future aggression.”

This was also echoed by Tom Cotton, a Republican senator from Arkansas, who called for
"devastating military retaliation" against Iran.

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