Liberal Hill caucus hits Trump’s handling of Iran crisis

The Congressional Progressive Caucus on Friday slammed the Trump administration’s handling of escalating tensions with Iran after the president said he stopped a planned U.S. military strike against Iran 10 minutes before it was to be launched Thursday night.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, the caucus’ Democratic co-chairs Reps. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin and Pramila Jayapal of Washington state said “a military escalation with Iran would be a catastrophic and deadly mistake.”

Mr. Trump said he called off the strike because the likely Iranian casualties were “not proportionate” to Tehran’s shooting down of an unmanned Navy drone earlier this week.

The lawmakers said Mr. Trump “came alarmingly close to starting an unnecessary, dangerous and ill-conceived war with Iran.”

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have been increasing for weeks following unspecified threats the U.S. said came from Iran to American interests, attacks on two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz last week, and the downing of an unmanned U.S. drone.

Congressional Democrats have consistently warned the administration they have not been given authority from Congress to use military action against Iran.

“This should be a wake-up call for Congress – we must act to rein in this erratic administration, before they drag us into another war without end,” said Mr. Pocan and Ms. Jayapal. “Ultimately, it is Congress – not the president – that is responsible for authorizing military action.”