Rep. DesJarlais to Newsmax: Dems Trying to Tie Trump's Hands on War

Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., on Monday defended President Donald Trump's authority to conduct military operations in Iran after Congress rejected a war powers resolution aimed at limiting the president's power to continue the conflict.

The House last week defeated the measure in a 219-212 vote following a similar rejection in the Senate days earlier, leaving Trump with broad discretion to continue U.S. military operations against Iran.

Speaking on Newsmax TV's "Wake Up America," DesJarlais, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said the president has historically held the authority to carry out such missions even without a formal declaration of war from Congress.

"Well, the precedent's been set. We have not declared war in Congress since 1942," DesJarlais said. "The president has the authority to conduct these type of missions. And so I don't know why the Democrats have chosen to pick on President Trump."

The Tennessee Republican also pointed to past military actions by presidents from both parties as precedent, mentioning former President Barack Obama's 2011 operations in Libya and the support he received from Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., at the time.

"When President Obama went into Libya, that was not a short-term action, as I think Chuck Schumer tried to say," he said. "It lasted about seven months. And so this is something that presidents have used, you know, just almost every time a president has been in office."

Congress has rarely formally declared war in modern history, instead allowing presidents to rely on authorizations or inherent commander in chief powers to conduct military operations.

The debate has intensified as U.S. and Israeli forces continue strikes against Iran in a regional conflict that has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers concerned about congressional oversight and the potential for a prolonged war.

Democrats have pushed repeatedly for votes under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which lets Congress try to force the president to end military hostilities unless lawmakers authorize them.

DesJarlais suggested the continued push for such votes is politically motivated.

"I think they're afraid that Trump can be successful," he said. "We've definitely degraded Iran's abilities and capabilities. And if Trump is successful in the Middle East and we get a friendly leader in Iran that will work with us in the Middle East and not project evil and support their proxies, Abraham Accord could become reality."

He added that such an outcome would carry political implications.

"If all those things were successful, President Trump probably get a Nobel Peace Prize, and that certainly would bother the Democrats going into the midterm," DesJarlais said.

While expressing optimism about the campaign, the congressman acknowledged the operation could take time.

"I think it could take several weeks," DesJarlais said. "I hope it doesn't turn into several months."

He argued U.S. and allied air superiority could accelerate the campaign.

"Having air superiority makes a huge difference," he said. "Now we can use our older bombers, our workhorses, the B-52, the B-1. We can strike their weapons depots."

DesJarlais also said Iran's missile and drone capabilities had already been weakened.

"But they have a formidable army that's obviously still showing a willing to fight," he said. "And I think with the air power between us and the Israelis we'll continue to pound them into submission, hopefully sooner than later."

The votes in Congress highlighted the continuing divide in Washington over the scope of presidential war powers, particularly as the Iran conflict raises fears of a longer and costlier regional war.

Supporters of the president argue restricting the commander in chief during active military operations could undermine U.S. strategy, while critics say Congress must assert its constitutional authority to declare war.

For DesJarlais and many Republicans, however, the issue remains clear.

"The president has the authority to conduct these type of missions," he said.

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