Sen. Mike Lee said Tuesday Congress has given the executive branch “too much authority,” adding President Trump has taken advantage of those powers.
“Congress has given too much authority to the executive branch. Power to make war, power to start trade wars, power to impose tariffs, power to declare broad national emergencies. This has been a convenient tool over time by Congresses, headed by Houses of Representatives, Senates and with the assistance of White Houses of every conceivable partisan combination,” the Utah Republican said in an interview with CNN’s “Newsroom” program.
“It shouldn’t be surprising to us that our current President…would maybe take advantage of some of those. It’s our fault as a Congress, and we as a Congress need to take that power back,” he continued.
Mr. Lee added this belief influenced his decision to vote for a resolution blocking Mr. Trump’s emergency declaration for more border wall funding and co-sponsored a resolution to get the United States out of an “undeclared, unconstitutional civil war in Yemen,” both of which the president vetoed.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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