Senator Jeff Merkley expresses optimism about the provisional truce between Israel and Iran, yet he maintains that President Trump acted unconstitutionally by ordering military attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities without formally seeking approval from Congress.
Merkley, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, states that he hasn't received any information about America's involvement in the conflict.
A social media posting by Merkley on Saturday asserted that President Trump has led us into war.
Following Trump’s announcement of the ceasefire, we questioned whether the planned military attacks scheduled for Sunday qualify as an act of war.
"I believe that when you enter another nation and deploy such substantial firepower, you're essentially engaging in warfare. Whether this will lead to a quick resolution remains unclear. What transpires over the coming weeks is still unknown," stated Merkley.
A meeting planned for Thursday, during which the Pentagon intended to brief the Senate, has been cancelled as of early Tuesday.
Merkley joined forces with Senator Bernie Sanders to sponsor a bill prohibiting the use of federal money for any military action involving Iran.
He asserts that diplomacy, rather than warfare, represents the proper path toward halting Iran's nuclear aspirations.
We believe that a well-crafted diplomatic approach can significantly reduce the chances of a nuclear weapons program," states Merkley. "This must be redesigned to include subsequent diplomacy aimed at tackling these concerns.
He criticizes President Trump's choice to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Agreement in 2018, an agreement initially brokered by President Barack Obama.