Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Thursday he opposed President Trump’s strike against Syria because the U.S. has not been attacked by Syria, and said Trump should have sought congressional approval for the attack.
“While we all condemn the atrocities in Syria, the United States was not attacked,” Paul said. “The president needs congressional authorization for military action as required by the Constitution, and I call on him to come to Congress for a proper debate.”
“Our prior interventions in this region have done nothing to make us safer and Syria will be no different,” Paul said.
The Kentucky Republican has long opposed military intervention in the Middle East without approval from Congress, and has rejected preemptive military action.
The comments are a sharp break from other GOP U.S. Senators, including Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Those Senate Republicans praised the president for taking decisive action with the military strike.
