Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is under fire after a one-word social media post fueled accusations he was a “traitor” cheering against the United States amid the war in Iran.
“Awesome,” Murphy wrote on X in response to a post reporting that 26 ships in Iran’s shadow fleet have made it past the US blockade in the Gulf of Oman.
Murphy’s post adds to his long-running criticism of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and revived scrutiny over his past posture toward Iran, giving critics fresh ammunition to cast the Connecticut Democrat as hostile to U.S. interests.
Social media commenters unleashed on Murphy for the message, with some asking if his account was “hacked” and others accusing him of cheering on Iran.
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“It takes an insane level of Trump Derangement Syndrome to cheer for a terrorist regime that chants ‘Death to America,'” White House Spokesperson Olivia Wales told Fox News Digital.
“Chris Murphy is an America-last, radical left lunatic who stands for illegal aliens and Iranian terrorists over the American people. The only thing ‘awesome’ will be when he is out of office,” Wales added.
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Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst notably told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday morning that there is “no evidence” that Iranian shadow fleet vessels, ships used to evade international sanctions, have made it through the U.S. blockade.
“The tweet was sarcasm,” a spokesperson for Murphy’s office told Fox News Digital in a statement later on Tuesday morning. “Chris obviously thinks it’s terrible that Donald Trump continues to mishandle every aspect of a war he started but clearly has no strategy to end.”
Commenters continued criticizing Murphy on X on Tuesday morning.
“First of all this is false,” Sean Parnell, assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs, posted, denying the report Murphy responded to. “Second, a Dem senator cheering on the number one state sponsor of terror is shameful.”
“This is what late stage TDS looks like: Cheering on Iran to defeat the U.S. Navy,” the Trump War room account wrote.
“This U.S. senator is publicly cheering for America’s enemy during war. The Senate should vote to censure him,” Mike Davis, Article III Project founder and president, commented.
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“Was Sen. Murphy’s account hacked?” Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York wrote.
“Chris Murphy roots against America,” conservative commentator Steve Guest posted.
“‘I love when Iran wins, it’s awesome…’ – a UNITED STATES SENATOR???????????!!!!!!!!!,” added Matt Van Swol, a former employee of the Department of Energy, according to his X bio.
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Fox News caught up with Murphy Tuesday morning to ask whether he regretted the post or planned to take it down.
“I guess I just have to be more careful about sarcasm on Twitter,” he said.
Murphy continued that X is “kind of a cesspool” and suggested “sarcasm is not something … allowed … any longer.” He added that he believes Trump’s handling of the war is “bungled” and “mismanaged” and should be ended “as quickly as possible.”
Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28, 2026, when U.S. forces, alongside partner forces, launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran.
As the Trump administration pressures Iran to curb its nuclear program, the U.S. is using its naval and air power to choke off Iranian shipping around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
Murphy recently called out Trump for his posts related to the war with Iran, saying it is a “a clear war crime.”
Fox News’ Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.
