Washington, March 11 (IANS) US senators clashed publicly over President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, with Democrats demanding clarity on the war strategy and Republicans defending the operation while blaming the opposition for a prolonged homeland security funding standoff.
Speaking after a closed policy luncheon, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said the administration had offered contradictory explanations about the conflict and failed to outline a clear plan.
“Trump’s explanation about his war in Iran grows more confusing and more contradictory every hour,” Schumer said.
He noted that the President had suggested the conflict might be nearing completion even as the Pentagon signalled a possible escalation.
“Yesterday, Trump casually claimed, I think the war is very — is very complete, pretty much,” Schumer said. “But this morning, Hegseth stood before the cameras and announced that today will be the most intense day of strikes yet.”
Schumer also accused the administration of spreading misinformation about the conflict.
“Donald Trump’s a liar,” he said. “The president of the United States is spreading blatant lies about a war he started.”
He warned that American troops were being placed at risk without a clearly articulated strategy.
“This is war. American troops are in harm’s way,” Schumer said. “Yet the administration still cannot explain a clear strategy or an endgame.”
Schumer said he and several Democratic colleagues had called for hearings and demanded that senior administration officials appear before Congress.
“We called on the Senate to hold Trump administration officials… to come and answer for their failures and explain to the American people what the hell is going on,” he said.
Democratic lawmakers also linked the debate over the Iran conflict to an ongoing shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Schumer argued that Democrats were seeking reforms to immigration enforcement agencies while continuing to fund key security operations.
“What we’re asking for is very, very simple,” he said. “Stop these roving patrols; enforcement and accountability; no more secret police, cameras on, masks off.”
Senator Brian Schatz said Democrats had proposed funding agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) while negotiations over immigration enforcement continued.
“There is no reason at all to hold TSA or the Coast Guard or FEMA hostage while our negotiations continue,” Schatz said.
Republican leaders rejected those claims and accused Democrats of blocking funding for critical security agencies.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the administration had attempted to negotiate with Democrats but had received no response.
“The White House submitted their last offer to the Democrats 12 days ago,” Thune said.
He warned that the funding impasse was beginning to affect operations at several agencies responsible for national security.
“You’re starting to see the lines at the airports because TSA employees aren’t getting paid,” Thune said.
Senator Katie Britt, who oversees DHS funding on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the shutdown had continued for weeks despite Republican efforts to negotiate.
“We are now 24, 25 days into a government shutdown with the department that is actually charged with keeping Americans safe,” Britt said.
“This is reckless, and it’s disingenuous,” she added. “They have not come to the table.”
Thune also defended the administration’s military campaign against Iran, describing it as a necessary security mission.
“I think this is an important mission to accomplish, and hopefully it’ll be accomplished soon,” he said.
The heated exchange underscored deep divisions in Washington over both domestic security policy and the expanding conflict in the Middle East.
–IANS
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