GOP Senator Says Iran Should Have Ballistic Missiles

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall previously told Americans that freedom was more important than their pocketbooks. Now, he’s folding on the central aims of Donald Trump’s disastrous war in Iran.

During an appearance on CNN Wednesday night, host Kaitlan Collins asked Marshall if he believed Iran should be allowed to maintain its ballistic missile stockpile.

“You know, I’m hesitating,” Marshall said. “I prefer that they not. I sort of don’t want them to have long-distance missiles, I don’t want them to have nuclear armed missiles. I would prefer they didn’t, but I don’t think that’s the key issue here. I think that they have to be able to defend themselves.”

“You think Iran needs to be able to defend itself?” Collins pressed.

“I do, I think that they have to be able to defend themselves, or otherwise we turn this into a forever war,” Marshall said. “You’re never gonna get them—short of boots on the ground—surrendering everything, an unconditional agreement, if you will.”

KAITLAN COLLINS: Are you okay with Iran having missiles?

SEN. ROGER MARSHALL: I prefer that they not, but they have to defend themselves

COLLINS: You think Iran needs to be able to defend itself?

MARSHALL: I do, otherwise we turn this into a forever war pic.twitter.com/kkDKpPfkl2— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 18, 2026

Marshall seemed to be echoing Donald Trump’s remarks during a press conference at the G7 Summit, when the president claimed he didn’t actually mind if Iran had ballistic missiles. “If other countries have them, it’s a little bit unfair for them not to have some,” Trump told reporters later.

But eliminating Iran’s ballistic missile stockpile was a key aim of “Operation Epic Fury” from the beginning.

Marshall was an enthusiastic cheerleader for Trump’s military campaign, even as it sent energy prices skyrocketing. Now, he’s trying to sell Trump’s lackluster peace deal—but clearly, his heart’s just not really in it.