Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said Thursday Congress should have to issue an Authorization for Use of Military Force for President Trump to move militarily against Syria or launch any attacks against the Assad regime.
“The president has to understand that the best way that we ever engage in a military action is when we have the collective support of the country,” Menendez said Thursday on CNN. “He needs to come to Congress and ask for that support, ask for an Authorization for Use of Military Force.”
Menendez said an AUMF would be needed because there is a difference between authorizing a fight against the Islamic State and authorizing military action towards Syria for the use of chemical weapons against its own people.
“We need to get a coalition of the willing to ultimately isolate, not only Assad, but the countries that are propping him up, which is Russia and Iran,” Menendez said.
Sen. Bob Menendez says the US needs to “get a coalition of the willing” to respond to Syria, adding that President Trump needs to get congressional authorization for military action there https://t.co/RZ7EAKbK79 pic.twitter.com/cxSbJeRa4l
— New Day (@NewDay) April 12, 2018
President Trump tweeted Wednesday a warning to Russia and Syria that missile attacks “will be coming” following a chemical attack in rebel-held city Douma, Syria, that killed at least 40 people and injured or hospitalized over 500 others.
Trump was vague in his Thursday tweet regarding the timing of the attack, saying it could be “very soon” or “not soon at all.”
