Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky says Iran attack violates Constitution, Trump campaign promises
Republished from Kentucky Lantern
Kentucky Republicans in Congress are split on both the necessity and constitutionality of the U.S. attack on Iran.
U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie called President Donald Trump’s action unconstitutional while Rep. Andy Barr said Trump had acted within his constitutional authority to protect “the safety and security of the American people.”
Massie also criticized Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson for not calling the House back from vacation last week to consider a bipartisan war powers resolution filed by Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California.
“I think I represent part of the coalition that elected President Trump,” Massie said Sunday on CBS News “Face the Nation.”
“We were tired of endless wars in the Middle East, and tired of wars in Eastern Europe. And we were promised that we would put our veterans, our immigration policies, and our infrastructure first.”
Massie said Iran posed “no imminent threat to the United States” and that Congress should have been briefed on the president’s plans before bombing attacks were launched on three nuclear sites. “The reality is, they don’t have a missile that can reach the United States. They’re not near to getting a missile that can reach the United States.”
Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell commended Trump’s decision to enter the conflict that began June 12 when Israel launched air and drone strikes on Iraq, killing generals and scientists and bombing nuclear and other military installations. Iran has responded by firing missiles at Israel.
McConnell, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, said “seizing this opportunity is not an escalation toward war — it is a prudent response to the warmongers in Tehran.”
“Israel’s bold response to the war thrust upon it by Iran’s proxies has created a unique opportunity to cripple Iran’s nuclear ambitions and strike a lasting blow to its hegemonic aggression,” McConnell said in a statement.
McConnell said the United States’ “interest in denying Iran a nuclear weapon, in standing with our ally, Israel, and in reestablishing credible deterrent power is undeniable and urgent.”
Barr, who is running to succeed McConnell in the U.S. Senate, wrote on X that critics of Trump’s “bold and decisive action to defend the United States from a nuclear Iran are dead wrong. Apparently, they want to write Article II completely out of the Constitution. The President acted fully within his constitutional authority.”
On Saturday night after the White House announced the offensive, U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie posted on X: “Tonight, President Trump made a difficult decision that I believe was correct. In the end, Iran can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. May God bless our troops in harms way.”
Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers also applauded Trump’s action, posting on X that the president’s “bold military action has eliminated the growing nuclear threat from Iran, after decades of diplomatic attempts from previous administrations have failed. Disarming a nation that aggressively chants ‘Death to America’ from developing a nuclear weapon to annihilate us, is a victory for America and all our allies.”
Last week, Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul told reporters he hoped Trump would not get involved in Israel’s war against Iran.
The lone Democrat in Kentucky’s congressional delegation, Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Louisville posted on X: “The Constitution is clear. No president can declare war. On behalf of all Louisvillians, especially the brave men and women stationed abroad, I will fight to hold the Trump administration accountable for its decision to engage in direct military action against Iran without congressional authorization.
“Congress has yet to receive a classified briefing with evidence proving that tonight’s strikes were necessary to protect our national security. Congress and the American people deserve answers. My constituents do not want to be dragged into another endless war in the Middle East.”
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