Lindsey Graham: Republicans who slammed Trump administration's Soleimani briefing are 'empowering the enemy'
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) believes his fellow Republican lawmakers who pushed back against the Trump administration's classified briefing on the killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani are "overreacting."
The briefing was held on Wednesday, covering the airstrike authorized by President Trump last week that left Soleimani dead. In the wake of the airstrike, Iran retaliated on Tuesday with its own missile attacks against two Iraqi bases hosting U.S. troops.
After the briefing, an angry Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) called it "insulting" and the worst he's ever heard regarding a military issue. He also revealed lawmakers were told there couldn't be any "divisions" or "dissension" because it would "send the wrong signal to the Iranians, and I think that's completely wrong." Lee said that the meeting convinced him to support the Democratic plan for a new war powers resolution.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Graham downplayed the criticism, telling reporters, "I think they're overreacting, quite frankly. Go debate all you want to. I'm going to debate you, trust me. I'm going to let people know that in this moment in time, to play this game with the War Powers Act, which I think is unconstitutional, whether you mean to or not, you're empowering the enemy."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
North Korea tests ICBM, readies troops in Ukraine
Speed Read Thousands of North Korean troops are likely to join Russian action against Ukraine
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Women take center stage in campaign finale
Speed Read Harris and Trump are trading gender attacks in the final days before the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Speed Read Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris makes closing case in huge rally at DC's Ellipse
Speed Read The Democratic nominee asked voters to "turn the page" on Trump's "division" and "chaos"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'I am not a Nazi,' Trump says amid MSG rally fallout
Speed Read Trump and his campaign are attempting to stem the fallout from comments made by speakers at Sunday's rally
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published