Sen. Coons to Newsmax: Trump Should Clarify Iran Strategy

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told Newsmax on Tuesday that President Donald Trump should use his State of the Union address tonight to clearly lay out his strategy on Iran before taking any potential military action.

Americans still do not know what course the president intends to pursue, Coons said on "The Record With Greta Van Susteren."

"I also think he could clarify what his strategy is with regards to Iran," he said, when asked if there's anything Trump could say in the speech that could get Democrats applauding.

"We don't currently know whether he's planning military strikes against Iran to support protesters, or to try and further set back the nuclear program, or to try and overthrow the regime," Coons added.

He emphasized that Congress has a constitutional role if the administration is considering a sustained military campaign.

"It would be important, constitutional even, for him to brief and consult with Congress and the American people before taking action," Coons said.

While stopping short of ruling out force, Coons said any decision must come after open debate and a clear understanding of the risks.

"If we had a full and robust debate here, and we understood the costs and risks, there are circumstances where I would support taking action against Iran," Coons said.

The senator made clear he views Iran's leadership as a serious threat in the region and beyond.

"Look, to be clear, the mullahs, the ayatollah, the IRGC, they are one of the world's leading sponsors of terrorism," he said, using the abbreviation for Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

"They've supported dangerous and deadly proxies in the region. They've attacked Israel and threatened the United States for years."

At the same time, Coons said he hopes diplomacy can produce lasting results that prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

"My hope is that diplomacy will produce a permanent commitment to no nuclear enrichment, to no nuclear weapons program, and to reining in their ballistic missile program and their support for proxies," he said.

Still, Coons warned that the United States cannot indefinitely maintain a massive military buildup without a defined objective.

"I'm encouraged that there are negotiations going on, but, clearly, we can't keep an enormous armada of ships and sailors and soldiers poised and at the ready for an indefinite period," he said.

Coons pointed to precedent, arguing that if Trump plans a longer-term operation, Congress should vote to authorize it.

"The balance between Article 1 and Article 2 in our Constitution is that the president can, as commander in chief ... respond to an urgent, imminent threat," he said.

"But if he's going to commit our troops to a long-term campaign, he should do what President [George W.] Bush did before the invasion of Iraq — send his leaders to Capitol Hill, have debates with different committees of Congress, have us take a vote."

"That is the way it ought to work," Coons said.

"And our constitutional structure, as we celebrate 250 years of our republic, of the beginning of our fight for independence, is something that we should pay extra attention to. That balance of power is part of the genius of our framers."

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