House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday would not commit to blocking any additional funding for the war in Iran, saying the president has so far failed to justify the war but “we will cross that bridge when we get to it.”
The New York Democrat was asked on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” if House Democrats would move to block the funding request if the White House asks for more money for the military.
Jeffries said the administration has so far “failed to make its case for this war of choice in the Middle East” and unless President Donald Trump provides a “compelling rationale” he is “going to have a hard case to make on Capitol Hill.”
Congress last year approved a $900 billion defense spending bill as part of routine annual budget appropriations, and the president signed it into law in December. But since the US began its military campaign in Iran, lawmakers have been considering the need to pass additional defense spending to bolster the US military.
On Tuesday, after a classified briefing to senators about the war, Sen. Several lawmakers, including Rep. Chris Coons, D-Del., told reporters they expect the Trump administration to ask for additional funding for the war effort. Coons added that he supported additional funding for the troops, but, like Jeffries, he wanted more information from the administration about the war.
“I expect the Pentagon to come forward with a supplemental request for funding, and I will continue to support our troops and make sure we’re making all the investments to keep them and their families safe,” Coons said. “But we need an open hearing so that you and the American people can answer questions about the failures in planning that have led to some of the challenges, losses, and mistakes in this war so far.”
On Sunday, Jeffries told “Meet the Press” that Trump “obviously, first and foremost, has a responsibility to make his case to the American people, which he has failed to do.”
Trump administration officials have not said whether they will seek additional funding for the Pentagon, but they have invoked the Defense Production Act to force American companies to increase supplies of munitions.
Jeffries and other Democratic lawmakers have largely criticized the president’s decision to go to war with Iran, calling on Trump to better explain the decision to strike the country.
“The American people don’t want to see billions of dollars spent to bomb Iran and the Middle East, while at the same time, my Republican colleagues and this president aren’t willing to spend a dime to lower their grocery bills, go to the doctor or do anything about this affordability crisis,” the United States said Sunday.
Last week, both houses of Congress failed to pass a war powers resolution that would have restricted military action in Iran. Most Democrats and two Republicans voted in favor of the resolution.
Jeffries spoke Sunday about the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown after Senate Democrats blocked funding for the agency in February and called for new rules for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On Thursday, Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Noem and appointed Sen. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said he intends to nominate. Democratic lawmakers said the move would not force Jefferies to retrench DHS funding, which he reiterated Sunday.
“Republicans control the House, the Senate and the presidency. They’re going to shut down FEMA, shut down the Coast Guard and shut down the TSA, they’ve made a firm decision against keeping ICE under control,” Jeffries said on “Meet the Press.”
“What we need is a change in policy, not just a change in personnel,” he said.
