‘It needs to end now’: Democrats urge Trump to halt Iran war after US troop deaths | Donald Trump
Democrats have moved to urge Donald Trump to immediately abandon the resumption of war with Iran, amid widespread concerns about mounting casualties, following the deaths of three US soldiers killed in Iranian attacks.
As U.S. forces launch a 10th consecutive wave of strikes against Iranian targets, concerns about the deaths of American service personnel threaten to complicate moves to escalate the conflict; This situation flared up again last week after Trump abandoned the June memorandum of understanding with Iran.
The Pentagon announced the names of the two soldiers killed in the attack on Muwaffaq Salti air base in Jordan on Friday. They were First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Private Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas.
A third member of the armed forces was killed in northern Iraq on Saturday in what US Central Command called a “controlled explosion” of unexploded ordnance. The remains of a possible fourth dead soldier were found in Jordan over the weekend.
Connecticut’s Democratic senator, Chris Murphy, accused Trump of “a frightening loss of control of this war.”
“Things are starting to get dark very quickly for those of us paying attention to the hour-to-hour pace of the Iran War,” he said. wrote on social media. “The size of attacks and threats of escalation are increasing rapidly.”
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the United States would not be deterred by the losses, writing: “They are heroes, for God’s sake. Their sacrifice only strengthens our resolve.”
Iran has vowed to launch retaliatory strikes against US allies in the Gulf, whom it describes as “collaborators” who provide logistical facilities for attacks on Iranian territory.
In a brief phone call with NewsNation, Trump called the deaths “a very sad thing” and said the soldiers died “serving our country.”
But while Republicans maintained their support, he faced a series of calls from Democrats to back down from his aggressive stance.
“The reckless and costly war chosen in Iran has been a disaster for the American people.” Hakeem Jeffries wroteDemocratic leader in the House of Representatives. “May God continue to protect our soldiers who are needlessly put in danger.”
Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee and a Democrat from Virginia, said there were “hundreds of seriously injured” US personnel and added that it was “remarkable” that the casualty figures were not higher.
“This is what happens when you start an election war. And as a member Gang of Eight“I can clearly say that there is no imminent threat from Iran,” he said.
Democratic senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has introduced resolutions containing war powers aimed at ending the Iran campaign unless it receives congressional approval. sent: “This senseless war should never have started and it needs to end NOW.”
Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the party’s Senate foreign relations committee, called for a return to diplomacy. “The President must negotiate an end to this disastrous war.” wrote.
And Rep. Ted Lieu of California, who has also been a vocal advocate for reining in Trump through a war powers resolution. wrote: “We need Republicans to join us to pass the War Powers Resolution NOW.”
The New York Times reported Prior to Friday’s deadly attacks, which were not disclosed by the Pentagon, Iranian forces launched three attacks on US military targets in Jordan last week. The newspaper said that the Pentagon did not disclose that there were “dozens” of dead and damaged in previous attacks.
The latest casualties bring to at least 17 the number of US soldiers killed since the war began on February 28. It is estimated that more than 1,700 Iranian civilians were killed.
In an effort to rein in Trump, the House and Senate passed war powers resolutions requiring the president to seek congressional approval after 60 days of hostilities. But the White House has argued that 60 days of continuous fighting have not yet occurred, as the period has stalled for several weeks after an initial ceasefire in April.
Republicans, meanwhile, continue to publicly support Trump, despite poll numbers showing support for the war and the president’s stance on the issue being weak and shifting. A Washington Post-Ipsos poll found 29 percent approve of Trump’s handling of the conflict; this was below the 33 percent who supported his management of the economy; this rate was shaken by rising fuel prices caused by the war.
In a statement, New Mexico Republicans mourned the new losses but accused Democrats of trying to exploit them for political reasons.
“No matter how Democrats try to politicize this, President Trump’s actions in Iran have made our country safer from a terrorist regime that has inflicted death and massacre on millions of innocent people around the world, including Americans,” the party said in a statement. he said.
James Comer, a representative from Kentucky and one of Trump’s staunchest supporters on Capitol Hill. he told Fox News that military intervention was necessary in the deaths of soldiers.
“I don’t think anyone would prefer to have any military conflict in Iran, but that’s the world we live in,” he said. “We must respond, we must respond quickly and with all our might, and that’s what President Trump is doing.”
West Virginia Republican Riley Moore he told fox The “precision” of the attacks on the Jordanian base indicates that Iran received target information from Russia or China. He called on US allies in the Gulf to help the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
“Where we go from here also looks at how we work with Gulf Cooperation Council partners in the region, because this could escalate into a regional destabilizing conflict,” he said.
