Republicans split as Mace urges Congress role on potential Iran deployment

Divisions within the Republican Party are sharpening over the prospect of US troops being sent to Iran, as lawmakers begin to draw clearer lines around what they would support in the escalating conflict.

Representative Nancy Mace said on Sunday that Congress should have a direct role in any decision to deploy ground forces, signalling concern after a classified House briefing on the war.

“If we’re going to do a conventional ground operation with Marines and 82nd Airborne that is a ground war that I believe Congress should have a say and we should be briefed,” Mace said in an interview with CNN.

“We don’t want troops on the ground,” she added.

“I think that’s a line for a lot of people. If we’re going to do that, then come to Congress and get the proper authorities to do so.”

Her comments come as reports suggest the Pentagon is preparing contingency plans for limited ground operations in Iran, including possible raids on strategic sites such as Kharg Island and areas near the Strait of Hormuz.

The White House has not confirmed any decision. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said planning such scenarios is routine.

“It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the commander-in-chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the president has made a decision,” she said.

President Donald Trump has kept his position deliberately open, saying all options remain available while pointing to what he describes as progress since the US-Israel war began on February 28. At the same time, the administration has not outlined a clear endgame or timeline.

That ambiguity is beginning to test Republican unity. While most lawmakers have supported Trump’s broader approach, the idea of sending troops on the ground is emerging as a political threshold many are reluctant to cross.

The tension reflects a deeper divide inside the party. Trump’s “America First” framework has often favoured limited, fast-moving military actions, avoiding prolonged ground engagements. A shift toward a conventional ground operation would mark a significant departure from that approach.

Scepticism is not limited to current lawmakers. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Texas, former congressman Matt Gaetz warned against escalation.

“A ground invasion of Iran will make our country poorer and less safe,” he said. “It will mean higher gas prices, higher food prices, and I’m not sure we would end up killing more terrorists than we would create.”

Military assessments add another layer to the debate. Analysts and intelligence officials have indicated that while Iran’s capabilities have been weakened, they remain far from eliminated. Air strikes alone, they argue, may not be sufficient to fully dismantle military infrastructure or achieve broader strategic goals such as regime change.

Meanwhile, the US is continuing to build up its presence in the region. US Central Command said roughly 3,500 additional troops arrived in the Middle East aboard the USS Tripoli over the weekend.