Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) accused “Democrats in the House of Representatives” of being the “second biggest Iranian proxy” on Monday, claiming that they were a major impediment to President Donald Trump’s peace efforts.

Mast appeared on Fox News’ America Reports to discuss the ongoing conflict with Iran after the country’s state media reported on Monday that Iran suspended peace negotiations over Israel’s continued bombing of Lebanon. Trump said on Truth Social that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, writing after their conversation that “there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way have already been turned back.”

When asked by host John Roberts whether the president’s move could be viewed as “throwing a bone to Iran” in order to continue talks, the congressman claimed it was decidedly the opposite.

“Not a bone to Iran in this way: the president of the United States of America is trying to keep out of these parties at the table to talk about peace and ongoing peace, where it recognized that the United States of America, under President Trump in 2027, is a United States that is never going to get hit and not respond and not respond, 1o X beyond whatever we’ve been hit,” he said.

The congressman continued, claiming that apart from the IRGC, House Democrats were the main barrier to making peace with Iran.

He said:

We understand exactly what Iran and the IRCG are doing. Iran and the IRGC are saying, “Hey, any peace, any ceasefire is contingent upon Hezbollah in Lebanon not being attacked, along with any other proxies.” Well, the exact same time Iran and the IRGC are telling Hezbollah in Lebanon to attack Israel. The president is letting them know that we are not naive to what is going on. He is talking to them and telling them what will and will not be tolerated, just like he is speaking to Israel, making sure that everybody is aware of what the situation actually is. That is what’s taking place when the president speaks to all of these parties.

[…]

And the final piece of meat that I will put on that bone is this– the number two threat aside from the IRGC is this. It is Democrats in the House of Representatives. They are the second biggest Iranian proxy. They are doing everything that they can to prevent the president from reaching a long lasting peace for decades to come with Iran. That is what’s in the way.

Mast later doubled down on his claim, telling Roberts that Democrats only chose to oppose the war in an effort to go against Trump.

“That number two proxy in this fight is Democrats in the House getting in the president’s way. And how exactly are they getting in his way? If you go back to the Biden administration, just a little while ago, every– nearly every last Democrat, some of them are in congress anymore, but nearly every Democrat voted to say, Iran is an existential threat, use any– this is the exact language– use any and all means to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon,” he said. “That’s what they told, they directed Joe Biden to do. When President Trump does it, they say, ‘Hey, there was never any threat coming from Iran. What are you talking about?’ They pretend as though they got a black eye by walking into a wall.”

Watch above via Fox News.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!