On the same day that President Trump announced that Iran appeared to be “standing down” after their retaliatory strikes, which resulted in no U.S. or Iraqi personnel casualties, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was working to ensure a House vote Thursday on the Democrat-authored War Powers Resolution intended to rebuke Trump for killing Iran’s murderous top military leader and limit the president in further military action involving Iran.
Trump started off the day of the big vote on the resolution, which Republicans have dismissed as “toothless,” by blasting “Crazy Nancy” and pointing out her actions undermining the supposed “urgency” of impeaching him.
“Hope that all House Republicans will vote against Crazy Nancy Pelosi’s War Powers Resolution,” Trump tweeted Thursday morning.
Trump then reminded everyone that after making the case for ramming through impeachment, Pelosi has stalled, refusing to hand over the articles to the Senate. “Also, remember her ‘speed & rush’ in getting the Impeachment Hoax voted on & done,” Trump wrote. “Well, she never sent the Articles to the Senate. Just another Democrat fraud. Presidential Harassment!”
Hope that all House Republicans will vote against Crazy Nancy Pelosi’s War Powers Resolution. Also, remember her “speed & rush” in getting the Impeachment Hoax voted on & done. Well, she never sent the Articles to the Senate. Just another Democrat fraud. Presidential Harassment!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2020
Earlier in the week, Pelosi announced that the House would vote Thursday on the Democrats’ War Powers Resolution, insisting that it is motivated by the Democrats’ “serious, urgent concerns about the administration’s decision to engage in hostilities against Iran and about its lack of strategy moving forward,” as reported by Fox News.
Trump’s criticism of Pelosi’s handling of the Democrats’ two articles of impeachment, which passed without a single Republican vote, has been echoed by some in Pelosi’s own party, most notably California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who said Wednesday that she cannot see a good reason for further delaying the transfer of the articles to the Senate.
“If we’re going to do it, she should send them over,” Feinstein said. “I don’t see what good delay does.”
While Pelosi was working behind the scenes to rebuke and limit Trump, the president gave a televised statement addressing Iran’s attack Tuesday on Iraqi bases at which U.S. and coalition forces were stationed.
“I am pleased to inform you, the American people should be extremely grateful and happy: No Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime,” President Trump told the nation Wednesday morning. “We suffered no casualties, all of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases.”
“Our great American forces are prepared for anything,” said the president, explaining that no lives were lost “because of the precautions taken, the dispersal of forces, and an early warning system that worked very well.”
In the address, Trump announced the “immediate” imposition of new economic sanctions on Iran, signaling that both sides were de-escalating the situation. The president also provided an explanation for why he ordered the strike on Iranian General Qassem Soleimani that prompted the retaliatory attack from Iran.
“As the head of the Quds Force, Soleimani was personally responsible for some of the absolutely worst atrocities,” said Trump. “He trained terrorist armies, including Hezbollah, launching terrorist strikes against civilian targets. He fueled bloody civil wars all across the region. He viciously wounded and murdered thousands of U.S. troops, including the planting of roadside bombs that maim and dismember their victims. Soleimani directed the recent attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq that badly wounded four service members and killed one American, and he orchestrated the violent assault on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. In recent days, he was planning new attacks on American targets, but we stopped him.”