On Thursday, President Donald Trump authorized a U.S. airstrike near Iraq’s Baghdad airport that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed that Iran will take “harsh retaliation” for the United State’s actions.

Congressman David Price, who represents Orange and Chatham Counties, issued a statement on Friday in response to Trump’s actions.

“We can have no illusions as to the threats posed by the Iranian Quds Force or the atrocities perpetrated by Qasem Soleimani.  However, President Trump’s ordering of Soleimani’s assassination is an escalation that threatens the lives of thousands of Americans, including our servicemembers and diplomats, and increases the prospects of a full-scale regional military conflict. The US action will be interpreted as an act of war against the Iranian state.

“President Trump must not undertake reckless provocations that may spark a war – intended or not – without Congressional approval.  The President’s refusal to consult Congressional leadership prior to ordering the strike is yet another example of his disregard for Congress’s role as a co-equal branch of government. It is long past time that we rein in the President by repealing the outdated AUMF, and work across party lines to clearly delineate the appropriate use of military force.

“Over the last two years, we have watched the Trump administration engage in a series of escalations with Iran, with no comprehensive strategy communicated or implemented. From unilaterally pulling out of the multilateral agreement that verifiably rolled back Iran’s nuclear weapons program, to exchanges of inflammatory rhetoric, to the re-implementation and increase of sanctions squeezing Iran’s economy, to increased hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz, it is clear that President Trump’s actions have emboldened Iranian hardliners and threatened the lives of Americans in the region. Regarding his latest action, the President must brief Congress as to the Administration’s plans to de-escalate and prevent war with Iran.”

Price — who supported articles of impeachment against Trump — sponsored an amendment included in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act that requires a report to Congress on the status of deconfliction channels with Iran to prevent miscalculation and decrease tensions.

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