As President Donald Trump prepared to deliver his State of the Union Address Tuesday night, top Democratic lawmakers emerged from a classified briefing on Iran and urged him to explain how he will resolve the standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The briefing, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered to House and Senate leadership, as well as the top members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, comes as the administration weighs potential military action against Iran.
Though Trump hasn’t indicated he has made a final decision, he has ordered a huge expansion of U.S. military forces in the Middle East and warned of “really bad things” if a deal isn’t reached with Tehran on its nuclear enrichment program.
“Look, this is serious, and the administration has to make its case to the American people,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said after the briefing. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries afterward questioned the need for military action, pointing to Trump’s past claims that he had destroyed Tehran’s nuclear program during Operation Midnight Hammer this past summer.
“Part of the concern that I’ve articulated, and will continue to do so, is that the president made the representation that Iran’s nuclear program was completely and totally obliterated last year as a result of actions that the administration has taken,” Jeffries said.
“And so if that, in fact, was true, what is the urgency as of this moment? That’s an open question, and the American people need a real explanation,” he added.
Senate Intelligence Vice Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.) called it was “a serious moment” for the Middle East and America. He noted that some of the sailors in the administration’s military buildup are from his state.
“I think it is incumbent upon the president to make the case of what our country’s goals are, what our country’s interests are, and how we’re going to protect American interests in the region,” he said. “Maybe we’ll hear that tonight, but if we don’t hear it tonight, we need to hear it very, very soon.”
On the other side of the aisle, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said “consultation” with Congress “needs to happen” on Iran.
But he said it was unclear what decisions the administration has made on military action.
“There are multiple issues with regard to Iran, one of which is the nuclear program; The other is the ballistic missile program,” Thune said. “It is a dangerous country, and very volatile, as you know, right now.”