rn"],"adCount":0,"midArticleAdPartner":null},"isCollectionEmbed":false}\">
In an interview on \u201cFace the Nation,\u201d host Margaret Brennan cited a poll saying that 67% of Americans want the war to end now. She noted that Kennedy had inquired about the possibility of an immediate end to the conflict Trump started in February.
Kennedy said he simply wanted an answer from officials. He then gave his take on what should be done:
\u201cI think we ought to tighten the sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil. I think we ought to continue the blockade and starve them out. I think we ought to bomb Pickaxe Mountain and try to reach what\u2019s underneath it. I don\u2019t have enough information to know about continuing the attacks.\u201d
\u201cThe president likes the daily attacks,\u201d Kennedy said before referring to a Chinese proverb about instilling fear. \u201cHe believes that sometimes you have to kill a few chickens to scare the monkeys.\u201d
The president also said he hasn\u2019t ruled out a ground invasion of Iran.
"},{"editionId":"us","headline":"Jimmy Fallon Puts Trump's Iran War Debacle In World Cup Terms","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/6a5614071a00000fbc5811c8.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"eRSWOHF5BP"},"width":1599,"height":899,"credit":"Getty/Tonight Show","ops":""},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jimmy-fallon-trump-ceasefire-iran-hydration-break_n_6a56047be4b09630fcd7f06b","dek":"The "Tonight Show" host gave his take on why Trump's declarations about the conflict don't hold water.
"},{"editionId":"us","headline":"'Wrap It Up': Mike Johnson Makes Stunning Comments On Future Of Iran War","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/6a600861190000ec6d330a35.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"apAGUJrDJR"},"width":5000,"height":3333,"credit":"via Associated Press","ops":"500_281"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-johnson-iran-war-donald-trump_n_6a5ffd6fe4b06bbe43f4fb35","dek":"\u201cI think we need to bring it to a resolution,\u201d Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said.
"},{"editionId":"us","headline":"Fox News' Brit Hume Warns Why Trump Is Running Out Of Time On Iran War","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/69f31bbb1800001f975b43f5.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"1tcERmEQ90"},"width":1080,"height":1080,"credit":"Bloomberg via Getty Images","ops":"500_281"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/brit-hume-donald-trump-iran-war_n_6a5f45b1e4b0fb869f7bf8b8","dek":"The president \u201cdoes need to get this over with,\u201d said the chief political analyst.
"}],"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fsen-john-kennedy-kill-chickens-scare-monkeys_n_6a674d74e4b006a1a836da7d%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["rnrn"],"adCount":0,"midArticleAdPartner":null}}\">The senator, who apparently likes flippant and folksy language, then further spewed rhetoric that only raises the diplomatic temperature.
\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s gonna work with Iranian leadership,\u201d he said. \u201cThese people are more than mildly insane. It\u2019s like dealing with Son of Sam or Charles Manson. But I don\u2019t think we ought to just cut and run. If we can stand the pain of the rising costs of energy, we need to stay the course.\u201d
The president also said he hasn\u2019t ruled out a ground invasion of Iran.
"},{"editionId":"us","headline":"Jimmy Fallon Puts Trump's Iran War Debacle In World Cup Terms","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/6a5614071a00000fbc5811c8.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"eRSWOHF5BP"},"width":1599,"height":899,"credit":"Getty/Tonight Show","ops":""},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jimmy-fallon-trump-ceasefire-iran-hydration-break_n_6a56047be4b09630fcd7f06b","dek":"The "Tonight Show" host gave his take on why Trump's declarations about the conflict don't hold water.
"},{"editionId":"us","headline":"'Wrap It Up': Mike Johnson Makes Stunning Comments On Future Of Iran War","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/6a600861190000ec6d330a35.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"apAGUJrDJR"},"width":5000,"height":3333,"credit":"via Associated Press","ops":"500_281"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-johnson-iran-war-donald-trump_n_6a5ffd6fe4b06bbe43f4fb35","dek":"\u201cI think we need to bring it to a resolution,\u201d Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said.
"},{"editionId":"us","headline":"Fox News' Brit Hume Warns Why Trump Is Running Out Of Time On Iran War","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/69f31bbb1800001f975b43f5.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"1tcERmEQ90"},"width":1080,"height":1080,"credit":"Bloomberg via Getty Images","ops":"500_281"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/brit-hume-donald-trump-iran-war_n_6a5f45b1e4b0fb869f7bf8b8","dek":"The president \u201cdoes need to get this over with,\u201d said the chief political analyst.
"}],"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fsen-john-kennedy-kill-chickens-scare-monkeys_n_6a674d74e4b006a1a836da7d%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["rnrn"],"adCount":0,"midArticleAdPartner":null}}\">", "datePublished": "2026-07-28", "dateModified": "2026-07-28", "author": { "@type": "Person", "@id": "#person-EleonoreChristiansen", "name": "Eleonore Christiansen" }, "image": "https://europennews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/sen-john-kennedys-doofus-metaphor-for-trumps-strikes-on-iran-doesnt-cut-it.jpg", "interactionStatistic": [ { "@type": "InteractionCounter", "interactionType": "http://schema.org/CommentAction", "userInteractionCount": "0" } ], "publisher": { "@id": "#organization" }, "mainEntityOfPage": "https://europennews.com/amp/sen-john-kennedys-doofus-metaphor-for-trumps-strikes-on-iran-doesnt-cut-it/" }
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said Sunday that President Donald Trump “believes that sometimes you have to kill a few chickens to scare the monkeys” in bombing Iran.
The strikes between the countries paused over the weekend after two weeks of ceasefire-ending attacks by the U.S., but Kennedy said the president “likes” the daily assaults.
In an interview on “Face the Nation,” host Margaret Brennan cited a poll saying that 67% of Americans want the war to end now. She noted that Kennedy had inquired about the possibility of an immediate end to the conflict Trump started in February.
Kennedy said he simply wanted an answer from officials. He then gave his take on what should be done:
“I think we ought to tighten the sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil. I think we ought to continue the blockade and starve them out. I think we ought to bomb Pickaxe Mountain and try to reach what’s underneath it. I don’t have enough information to know about continuing the attacks.”
“The president likes the daily attacks,” Kennedy said before referring to a Chinese proverb about instilling fear. “He believes that sometimes you have to kill a few chickens to scare the monkeys.”
The senator, who apparently likes flippant and folksy language, then further spewed rhetoric that only raises the diplomatic temperature.
“I don’t think that’s gonna work with Iranian leadership,” he said. “These people are more than mildly insane. It’s like dealing with Son of Sam or Charles Manson. But I don’t think we ought to just cut and run. If we can stand the pain of the rising costs of energy, we need to stay the course.”