Blumenthal, DeLauro, Murphy: Seeking answers on bombing.
New Haven’s Washington representatives promptly condemned the Trump administration decision to enter a Mideast war by bombing three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Trump late Saturday night announced that he had ordered the military to bomb the three sites to destroy Iran’s nuclear enrichment capability. He stated that the operation had “completely and totally obliterated” the three sites. By Sunday morning, officials had rolled back the claim to state the bombings had caused “severe damage” and “substantially delayed” Iran’s enrichment capacity.
New Haven U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Connecticut U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal all issued statements Sunday morning accusing the Trump administration for violating the Constitution and War Powers Act by not first consulting Congress and seeking its approval to declare war on another nation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday that the administration had informed Congress of the bombing once U.S. pilots had left Iranian airspace.
Blumenthal began his statement by casting “a nuclear armed Iran” as “a threat” to the world, including the U.S., before questioning the Trump administration’s strategy.
Murphy, on the other hand, declared that Iran poses no “immediate threat” to the U.S.In a social media post, he more specifically stated that Iran was “not close to developing a deliverable nuclear weapon” and blamed the Israeli government for “scuttling” the chance for a peaceful resolution of its conflict with Iran through negotiations. Blumenthal, while critical of the Netanyahu government, has also stressed his support for Israel’s right to defend itself against military threats.
All three Democrats expressed concern about the bombings leading to lost U.S. lives in what DeLauro called “an extended war in the Middle East [that] the American people do not want.”
Trump addressed the nation to make the announcement Saturday minutes after 10 p.m. DeLauro issued her response statement Saturday at 10:58 p.m., Murphy Sunday at 12:37 a.m., Blumenthal at 10:48 a.m.
Following are the full statements they issued:
DeLauro: “Extended War” Feared
President Trump’s decision to launch direct military action against Iran without Congressional approval is a violation of the Constitution, which grants the power to declare war explicitly to the Congress. With so many dangerous consequences which may result in further escalation, this action threatens U.S. military assets and risks the lives of servicemembers in the region. This could drag the United States into an extended war in the Middle East — a war the American people do not want. I am continuing to closely monitor the situation and demanding answers from the Administration.
Murphy: “Dangerously Reckless”
Donald Trump, a weak and dangerously reckless president, has put the United States on a path to a war in the Middle East that the country does not want, the law does not allow, and our security does not demand.
Our president knows nothing about history. And history tells us that the United States’ hubris about the efficacy of military action in the Middle East is almost universally wrong. Trump has been goaded into these strikes by the perpetual cheerleaders of war in the Middle East — the people who know how to start conflicts there but never know how to end them, and the people who profit — politically and financially — from endless war.
I’ve been briefed on the intelligence — there is no evidence Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States. That makes this attack illegal. Only Congress can declare preemptive war, and we should vote as soon as possible on legislation to explicitly deny President Trump the authorization to drag us into a conflict in Middle East that could get countless Americans killed and waste trillions of dollars. All my thoughts tonight are for the safety of our personnel in the region.
Blumenthal: What’s The Strategy?
I continue to believe a nuclear armed Iran is a threat to the entire world, including America, but confronting that threat requires strategy as well as strength. History has taught us the unintended consequences of American involvement in Middle East wars.
The Constitution and War Powers Act require every President to inform Congress and seek approval for using American military force. President Trump has done neither. I urge Senate Republican leadership to bring Senator Kaine’s resolution to the Senate Floor immediately for a vote.
My immediate concern is protection for our 40,000 troops and other personnel in the region. President Trump owes the American people, not just Congress, an explanation for this military action. He must now do everything in his power to seek to avoid a wider conflict. We deserve to know a clear, effective strategy for peace in the region.