Rep. Miller-Meeks to Newsmax: Trump Has Authority to Stop Iran Nukes

President Donald Trump has the authority to take military action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks said Wednesday on Newsmax, dismissing congressional efforts to curb his war powers as U.S. operations continue in the region.

Appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Early," Miller-Meeks also called for Congress to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and warned about the threat of radical Islamic terrorism inside the U.S.

The Iowa Republican began by offering condolences to families affected by recent losses.

"Our condolences, our hearts and prayers go to those four individuals from the Des Moines, Iowa, Reserve unit whose lives were lost, including Declan Cody, a young man stationed overseas," Miller-Meeks said. "We know that that's tragic."

As lawmakers debate competing war powers resolutions in the House and Senate, Miller-Meeks said history shows presidents from both parties have acted militarily without immediate congressional authorization.

"For the bulk of my lifetime, every president has said we cannot have a nuclear-armed Iran, both Democrat and Republican," she said. "Presidents do have authority under the War Powers Act to act. They have 60 days to act in the interest of the United States."

She pointed to past military actions by Democratic administrations, including former President Joe Biden's missile strike during the Afghanistan withdrawal and former President Barack Obama's air campaign in Libya.

According to Miller-Meeks, the current operation reflects a long-standing bipartisan objective to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

"Given how close Iran was to a nuclear weapon, I think it's important that when you draw a red line, you attempt to negotiate, you attempt to use diplomacy," she said. "But we know that even with Obama's nuclear agreement, Iran did not stop enriching uranium."

While acknowledging that Americans are wary of prolonged military involvement, Miller-Meeks said Trump has consistently sought to avoid extended conflicts.

"No one likes armed conflict, and no one wants endless wars," she said. "President Trump ran against endless wars and [on] ending conflicts."

At the same time, she said the U.S. cannot allow Iran to continue supporting terrorist groups across the Middle East.

"We know that Iran is a world sponsor of terrorism, both with Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah," Miller-Meeks said. "You have a world sponsor of terrorism."

She added that Russia and China have not stepped in to support Iran during the current conflict and predicted the campaign could be relatively brief.

"We anticipate that this will be a relatively quick endeavor, making sure that Iran never has a nuclear weapon," she said.

Turning to domestic security after discussing a suspected terrorist attack in Austin, Texas, Miller-Meeks warned about extremist threats inside America.

"There are radical Islamic terrorists who are in our country. This is another example of that," she said.

Miller-Meeks urged Congress to move past partisan disputes and fully fund the Department of Homeland Security.

"It's time to end the games. It's time to end the political games," she said. "DHS needs to be funded."

She added that funding supports not only border enforcement, but also agencies, including the Coast Guard, FEMA, and the Transportation Security Administration.

"We need to be able to have the funds that go to Homeland Security to help support our military," Miller-Meeks said.

GET TODAY NEWSMAX :

NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!

Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.

You need to watch NEWSMAX today.

Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!

Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now

BEST OFFER:

Sign up for NEWSMAX and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.

Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.

Even get Jon Voight's special series and President Trump's comedy programs and much more!

Watch NEWSMAX on your smartphone or home TV app.