Lawmakers urge defense if Iran attacks U.S. targets
The big picture: In the hours around Israel's attack, which Iran responded to with major retaliatory strikes, the Trump administration distanced itself from the Israeli operation, with the president confirming he knew the attack was coming but stressing the U.S. military wasn't involved.
But Iranian officials have blamed the U.S. for the attack, along with Israel. Despite that, President Trump told Axios' Barak Ravid that he believes Israel's strike improved the chances of reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran.
Trump, in a Truth Social post shared just after midnight Sunday, wrote that if "we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before."
Driving the news: Lawmakers on Sunday expressed bipartisan consensus over the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran — though they are divided on the level to which the U.S. should be involved in Israel's operation.
Israel has asked the Trump administration to join the war and help eliminate Iran's nuclear program, Axios Barak Ravid reported.
The U.S. possesses bunker buster bombs and large bomber aircraft that are necessary to destroy Iran's underground Fordow uranium enrichment site. Israel does not.
Zoom in: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said on "Fox News Sunday" that the U.S. response will be "triggered" by Iran's actions — and if they target Americans or the U.S. presence in the region, Iran "should be prepared for all of America's might to descend upon them."
Yes, but: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that "it's not the U.S.'s job to be involved in this war."
Paul criticized his GOP colleague Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) reaction to Israel's attack ("Game on"), saying, "I don't consider war to be a game" and pointing to "hundreds of thousands of people that potentially will now die on both sides."
He said he believes Trump's "instincts" are to not be involved in the conflict, but said there will be "a lot of pressure from Lindsey Graham and others to get involved."
Paul added, "I hope that his instincts will prevail."
The other side: Graham, appearing on CBS News' "Face the Nation," said "the worst possible outcome" would be the survival of Iran's nuclear program — and urged Trump to make sure there's "nothing left standing ... regarding their nuclear program."
"If that means providing bombs, provide bombs," he said, adding, "If it means flying with Israel, fly with Israel."
Zoom out: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) agreed that a nuclear-armed Iran is an "unacceptable threat to the world" and said he supports Israel's "right to defend itself."
But he emphasized that "Americans have no interest in a forever war," urging mindfulness "about the priority of diplomacy."
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) similarly told NBC's Kristen Welker that he supports Israel's actions to "defend itself" — as well as he backs "the administration's actions in helping Israel defend itself."
However, he said he did not support the U.S. engaging in direct hostilities against Iran — though he noted he hasn't been able to get an intelligence briefing on Iran recently.
But, if "they should respond by attacking us, then we should respond by defending ourselves," he said, adding that Iran would open "itself up to potential attacks on Fordow or elsewhere" with such action.
Between the lines: Some prominent MAGA voices have tried to rally the president's base against the U.S. backing direct attacks on Iran, Axios' Stef W. Kight and Tal Axelrod reported.
But the support from Hill leaders following Israel's operation may expose the limits of MAGA isolationists' influence.
Former Vice President Mike Pence said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that it's "scandalous" to hear outside voices "talking about dumping Israel in this moment."
Pence said that "at the end of the day, if Israel needs our help to ensure that the Iranian nuclear program is ... destroyed once and for all, the United States of America needs to be prepared to do it."
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