Republican does U-turn on move to check Trump's war powers
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Republican renegade Rep. Thomas Massie pulled his House resolution to check President Donald Trump's war powers after the president announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The Kentucky Republican told reporters Monday night that he had agreed to pull his resolution, even after it sparked support from Congressional Democrats looking to score political points against the president.
'I talked to the Speaker on the floor just now and told him we wouldn't push it if the cease-fire holds, so it's really in their court,' Massie said, adding that he would 'wait and see' before making a final call. Massie's action drew praise from Trump's deputy chief of staff James Blair.
'Thank you for your attention to this matter,' Blair wrote, adding the siren emoji to highlight Massie's stunning U-turn. Massie was vocal about his opposition to U.S. military strikes of Iranian nuclear facilities in Iran, challenging the president for what he described as an 'unconstitutional' act to go to war without the authority of Congress.
He previously boasted that his War Powers Resolution, that he launched with the support of Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna of California had 57 cosponsors. 'Whether you like it or not Congress will be voting on U.S. hostilities in Iran,' he wrote Monday afternoon on social media. Trump expressed his frustration with Massie, after the Kentucky Congressman went on television for several interviews where he criticized the president.
'GET THIS 'BUM' OUT OF OFFICE, ASAP!!!' Trump posted on social media. 'Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is not MAGA, even though he likes to say he is. Actually, MAGA doesn't want him, doesn't know him, and doesn't respect him,' Trump also wrote.
Massie repeatedly criticized the president, especially after Trump floated the prospect of regime change in Iran. 'This is not America First folks,' he wrote. I will not vote for the United States to get dragged into another regime change war. In fact, I will actively oppose it.'
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also took on Massie during a Fox News segment on Monday. 'He should be a Democrat because he is more aligned with them than with the Republican Party,' she said. She also pushed back on Massie's claim that Trump's action was unconstitutional.
'The White House was not obligated to call anyone because the president was acting within his legal authority under Article 2 of the Constitution, as commander-in-chief of the president of the United States,' Leavitt concluded. On Sunday, Trump additionally criticized Massie for grandstanding on television after the successful military strikes on Iran.
'He's a simple minded 'grandstander' who thinks it's good politics for Iran to have the highest level Nuclear weapon , while at the same time yelling 'DEATH TO AMERICA' at every chance they get,' Trump wrote on social media, describing him as 'weak' and 'ineffective' and 'disrespectful to our great military.'
'MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague!' Trump concluded. Massie responded to Trump on his own social media account. 'Donald Trump declared so much War on me today it should require an Act of Congress,' the congressman wrote with the hashtag #sassywithmassie.
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