GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) — U.S. Senator Roger Wicker said the main objective of the U.S. joint military operation in Iran has not changed six weeks after it began: keeping Iran from building a nuclear weapon.
“Iran should never have a nuclear weapon; they were very close and the leadership there is just primitive enough and crazy enough to actually use it,” Wicker said. “It is a real threat if they get a nuclear weapon.”
Oil prices
Wicker said Iran needs to lose the capability of building a nuclear bomb and end what he called its terrorist activities worldwide.
“They’re the reasons why the Houthis and Hamas are killing innocent civilians all around the world, and they need to stop that,” he said. “Those are two conditions that until we get those taken care of, we’re not exactly mission accomplished.”
The war in Iran has driven up the price of oil. Wicker said the pain at the pump is temporary and part of a larger security fight.
“As soon as we can get this resolved, gas prices will come down,” he said. “It’s a necessary component of taking on Iran and making sure they don’t hit us with a nuclear weapon and don’t come in with a terrorist attack in New Orleans or some other place in the United States.”
Defense spending
President Donald Trump is calling for a massive boost in defense spending as the conflict continues. His budget proposal would bring military spending up to $1.5 trillion.
“I’m so pleased that President Trump has asked for a 50% increase in our defense budget,” Wicker said. “We’re going to have to spend it smart, and we’re not going to just throw money at the problem.”
Wicker said part of spending smart involves smaller defense-related companies coming to Mississippi.
“This is going to be spent on very necessary munitions and weapons,” he said. “They’ll be manufactured in America and create American manufacturing jobs. It sends a statement to the rest of the world, and it’s a good way to keep us out of war by being so strong that nobody takes us on.”
Global threats
Wicker said the increase in defense spending is necessary to deter growing threats around the world.
“The question is far from being settled in Iran,” he said. “Communist China makes 200 ships for every one we make, and that’s not an exaggeration; they make 200 times more ships than we do. Russia is trying to annex countries that have been adjacent to them for decades and totally ignoring international law. Then there’s North Korea, so it’s an axis of aggression and they’re all working together like they never have before.”
Defense technology
Wicker was in Gulfport earlier this week as Integer Technologies cut the ribbon on its new office. The company develops software for the military, specializing in seabed warfare with unmanned and autonomous vessels.
Wicker said the company fits into the Pentagon’s strategy while boosting the Coast’s economy.
“This sort of new technology that’s computer-based, flexible and quick, we can churn a lot of it out in a quick time,” he said. “It’s a great compliment to what we’ve been doing traditionally. We’re combining higher education with industry and creating jobs at the same time.”
Wicker praised the University of Southern Mississippi’s involvement.
“We’re using one of our great research universities in Southern Miss is something to be proud of,” he said. “Their motto is ‘To the Top’, and again it’s another step to the top for Southern Miss.”
The Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman was also in Jackson this past week to promote new childhood investment accounts.
After two weeks in Mississippi, Wicker will head back to Washington. The Senate goes back into session Monday.
See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.
Copyright 2026 WLOX. All rights reserved.