Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, who once professed to be the "guardian" of Israel in Congress, has publicly voiced his disapproval of President Donald Trump's recent airstrike on Iran's nuclear facilities.
This statement was released late on Saturday night, several hours after the reactions of his Republican and Democratic colleagues had already been made public.
According to Breitbart, Schumer's delayed response was not only critical of the attacks but also expressed support for legislation aimed at curtailing Trump's war powers. This stance mirrors the Democrats' earlier criticism of Trump's successful airstrike on Iranian terror general Qasem Soleimani, where they cited constitutional limitations on the commander-in-chief's powers.
However, the reality is that Trump's actions are within constitutional bounds, as long as he adheres to the deadlines set by the existing War Powers Resolution of 1973. This resolution permits the president to wage war, provided he reports to Congress within 60 days. Interestingly, few Democrats raised objections when President Barack Obama exercised his war powers, even exceeding the limits set by the War Powers Resolution.
Breitbart News has previously noted that "few Democrats raised objections when President Barack Obama went to war often exceeding the boundaries of his legal authority as president. The most notorious case was the Libya War, which President Obama launched in March 2011 without congressional authorization." The Obama administration argued that the U.S. was not engaged in "hostilities" but "leading from behind," thus justifying the continuation of the war effort beyond the War Powers Resolution's deadlines.
Notably, some left-leaning individuals went to great lengths to defend Obama's unconstitutional war. Former Yale Law School dean Harold Koh, once a staunch defender of the notion that the president of the United States can't wage wars without the approval of Congress, later became "the administrations defender of the right to stay engaged in a conflict against Libya without Congressional approval."
The proposed "War Powers Act," sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and backed by 43 cosponsors, all Democrats, seeks to prevent President Trump from engaging in war specifically with Iran.
Schumer, who once leveraged his name's similarity to the Hebrew word "shomer," meaning "guardian," to gain support from pro-Israel audiences, has in recent years launched verbal attacks on the Israeli government and shown reluctance in defending Israel. He also declined to hold Senate hearings on the rise of antisemitism on campuses, a time when the Republican-led House of Representatives had held dozens.
Earlier this month, Schumer taunted Trump for attempting to negotiate an agreement with Iran. This move, along with his recent criticisms, underscores the growing divide between the two political parties and their differing views on foreign policy and national security. As the political landscape continues to evolve, the actions of leaders like Schumer and Trump will undoubtedly shape the future of American foreign policy.
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