Trump vetoes resolution that sought to stop hostilities toward Iran without congressional approval

Trump described the resolution as a Democratic political ploy and called it 'very insulting'

Published: May 6, 2020 5:40pm

Updated: May 7, 2020 1:30pm

President Trump on Wednesday vetoed a resolution passed by Congress that ordered the president to cease any hostilities toward the Islamic Republic of Iran unless both chambers authorizes military engagement.

The president earlier this year ordered an attack that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani while he was in Iraq, which was followed in January by Iran retaliated by firing missiles at a U.S. military installment. The resolution was introduced shortly after Iran's retaliatory strike.

While the president notes that Iran's attack resulted in zero fatalities, the resolution says that more than 100 military members suffered traumatic brain injuries as a consequence of the retaliation. The resolution also commends Trump and all the people who played a role in the strike that took out Soleimani.

The president in a message to the Senate said that the resolution's "apparent aim was to prevent an escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran" but "no such escalation has occurred over the past 4 months, contrary to the often dire and confident predictions of many."

In another statement about his decision to veto the resolution, the president described the resolution as "very insulting" and decried it as a political ploy by Democrats during an election year and suggesting that Republican supporters "played right into their hands."

Trump disagreed with the idea that the U.S. is participating in hostilities toward Iran and defended his strike against Soleimani as completely legal – based upon Article II of the U.S. Constitution and the 2002 Authorization for Use Against Military Force Against Iraq Resolution.

He also said the resolution he vetoed sought to restrict presidential use of military force.

"The resolution implies that the President’s constitutional authority to use military force is limited to defense of the United States and its forces against imminent attack. That is incorrect," Trump declared.