Baldwin, Colleagues Demand Trump Officials Publicly Testify About War in Iran

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) in demanding that Republican Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) hold immediate public hearings on the Trump Administration’s ongoing unconstitutional war in Iran. This follows the Senators’ move to file War Powers Resolutions to stop President Donald Trump’s illegal and unnecessary war. The Senators made plain they will use these resolutions to force debate and additional votes if Republican leadership does not move swiftly to arrange public committee hearings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

“Already, oil and gas prices are spiking, the prices of basic goods are increasing, and the U.S. is spending billions of dollars on this war, rather than focusing on reducing costs here at home. The Trump administration must answer questions publicly under oath in front of the American people, not just behind closed doors. Without public hearings, this work period, we will pursue other options for ensuring timely public debate on the Senate floor,” the Senators write in their letter to Thune.

It has been thirteen days since President Trump chose to launch his war with Iran that has resulted in the death of at least seven U.S. servicemembers. Yet the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees have yet to announce or hold a single public hearing to receive testimony from the Secretaries of State or Defense under oath.

The resolutions—which would not prevent the U.S. from defending itself or Israel from an Iranian attack—are privileged, meaning they can be brought to the Senate floor for a vote by any senator after ten calendar days.

Immediately following the initial strikes on Iran, Senator Baldwin released a statement condemning this unauthorized military action and demanding that President Trump come to Congress before launching the United States into another potentially open-ended war. Senator Baldwin also took to the Senate floor in support of a War Powers Resolution to rein in this President. Additionally, Senator Baldwin co-sponsors the No War Against Iran Act to prohibit the use of federal funds for any use of military force in or against Iran without specific Congressional authorization.

Read the full letter here.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.