Some foreign-policy-minded senators are dismissing President Donald Trump’s assessment that Iranian officials have been disrupting the Strait of Hormuz to influence the midterm elections.

Several senators — Democratic and Republican — furrowed brows or shook their heads Wednesday when asked about Trump a day earlier replying “probably” when asked if the Islamic Republic’s aggressive actions toward vessels in the strait were aimed at meddling in the midterms.

“I think they’re using it strategically, which would involve politics and combat,” Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Jack Reed, said with a wave of his hand. “War is an extension of politics by other means, so they’re using it strategically.

“That’s their best way to put pressure on and to try to reach some type of a ceasefire, or even some arrangement where they perceive that they’ve succeeded,” the Rhode Island Democrat said.

Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, said the commander in chief needs to focus harder on “finishing the job and getting the strait open.”

“The idea that we’re going to go tit-for-tat with Iran is just…” the Texas Republican said in a brief interview, tailing off as he shook his head. “They can keep this up for a long time. And we just need to open the Strait of Hormuz and come home.” (Cornyn lost a Republican primary in May to Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.)

Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat who has led the charge on a resolution that aims to limit Trump’s Iran war-making abilities, reacted to Trump’s assessment with mockery.

“I mean, what is he thinking? That Iran should not defend itself when the United States chooses to attack it? Like, ‘Oh, if Iran is going to defend itself against an illegal invasion by the United States, they must be thinking about the midterms,’” the Armed Services and Foreign Relations member said with a chuckle. “I mean, what kind of a bizarre, addled, brain-mush statement is that?

“The president clearly thought this war would last about as long as his attention span, and in that he was sadly deluded,” he added. “He has said, ‘Well, it’s not as long as Vietnam.’ Do you really want to use Vietnam as your example?”

The senators were reacting to an exchange Trump had with Jon Decker, a White House correspondent for Gray Television and iHeartMedia, during a Tuesday Oval Office event with Trump’s Lebanese counterpart. Decker asked, “Do you believe that Iran is trying to impact the midterm elections by threatening the Strait of Hormuz?”

Trump responded: “Probably. They won’t have any impact on me. I’m just going to do the right thing.”

“I don’t view it as, ‘Gee, we’re having an election in a period of time.’ Everyone says, ‘Oh, I’m doing something before, no,’” he added. “The election — I can’t think about that having to do with this.”

Criticized over the last week by even some GOP lawmakers during hearings featuring witnesses from his war Cabinet, Trump then started talking about the military and law enforcement raid he ordered in Venezuela.

‘Something of a stretch’

Asked about Trump linking Iran’s strait closure to the U.S. election, Maine independent Sen. Angus King replied: “No, not at all.”

“I think they’re trying to play the cards that they have in this conflict. I mean, I’m sure they pay attention to American politics, but I think that’s something of a stretch,” said King, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Intelligence committees. “They’ve been acting to close the strait since March. So, I don’t think they were thinking of the midterms in March.”

The United States and Iran have engaged in military strikes against one another, and associated targets, for 13 consecutive nights. Trump has declared a ceasefire over, threatening anew in a Wednesday social media post to begin hitting the Persian country’s civilian infrastructure.

“From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran,” he wrote.

The renewed military conflict has sent global oil prices surging for a fourth time since Trump joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in hitting targets in Iran on Feb. 28. The global benchmark Brent Crude index, for example, surpassed the $100-per-barrel mark again on Thursday. On Feb. 27, the day before the first U.S.-Israeli strikes, it stood at $72.48 a barrel.

Paul Rieckhoff, president of Righteous Media Inc and host of the Independent Americans podcast, said Wednesday that “gas prices are very unpopular” and previous prolonged military conflicts remain fresh on Americans’ minds. That mix has created a political problem for Republican candidates.

“I think that’s why this is so unpopular. People remember Vietnam, they remember Iraq, they remember Afghanistan, and this is less popular than all of them. It started out less popular,” the Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran told NewsNation. “This is starting out at a very low level, and that’s across the board, including with the Republican base. So it’s very, very unpopular.

“Trump, I think, wants an off-ramp, but this is almost the definition of a quagmire. The Strait of Hormuz is not open. … So he’s really put himself into a very tough position here,” he added, referring to Trump. “And the longer it goes on, the more it’s going to hurt him politically, and the more it’s definitely going to hurt Republicans down ballot.”