Republican lawmakers praised President Donald Trump for authorizing the airstrike that killed Iran’s top general Qasim Soleimani.
While Democratic lawmakers expressed concern that the strike could lead to armed conflict with Iran, Republicans praised Trump for authorizing the strike that killed “the wold’s pre-eminent sponsor of terrorism.”
“Tonight’s a good night,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) wrote in a tweet on Thursday night. “Soleimani, the world’s pre-eminent sponsor of terrorism, is now dead. He spent decades spreading death and destruction across the region.”
Tonight's a good night. Soleimani, the world’s pre-eminent sponsor of terrorism, is now dead. He spent decades spreading death and destruction across the region, including engineering and providing IEDs to Shia militias in Iraq that were used to kill hundreds of Americans. 1/5
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 3, 2020
Soleimani was the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force— a shadowy organization that was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2007.
While Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) questioned whether Trump had fully considered the ramifications of the strike, Crenshaw defended it as “a response to aggression [and] a deterrent to future attacks.”
Someone let the Senator know that these men just got done directing attacks against our embassy & K1 facility. This was clearly a response to aggression & a deterrent to future attacks, well within current authorization.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 3, 2020
It’s a great day for the fight against evil in this world. https://t.co/omyNrabzpM
Several other Republican lawmakers praised the move:
Wow – the price of killing and injuring Americans has just gone up drastically. Major blow to Iranian regime that has American blood on its hands. Soleimani was one of the most ruthless and vicious members of the Ayatollah's regime. He had American blood on his hands.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 3, 2020
The end of Qasem Soleimani is welcome and long-overdue justice for the thousands of Americans killed or wounded by his Iranian-controlled forces across the Middle East, and for the hundreds of thousands of Syrians and Iraqi Sunnis ethnically cleansed by his militias.
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) January 3, 2020
If you come after the United States, we will come after you with overwhelming strength.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) January 3, 2020
Soleimani was one of the world's most brutal terrorists. Thanks to @realDonaldTrump's decisive action, Soleimani won't be able to kill anyone else. This is a major victory. pic.twitter.com/xHH5AVhzGZ
Soleimani was a terrorist. President Trump and our brave servicemembers just reminded Iran—and the world—that we will not let attacks against Americans go unpunished.
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) January 3, 2020
🇺🇸
The defensive actions the U.S. has taken against #Iran & its proxies are consistent with clear warnings they have received
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 3, 2020
They chose to ignore these warnings because they believed @POTUS was constrained from acting by our domestic political divisions
They badly miscalculated
We remember and honor the sacrifice of those servicemen & women, and we commend our brave troops & intel officers who carried out this successful mission. At this time of increased tension in the region, the US must take necessary steps to protect our personnel there and beyond.
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) January 3, 2020
Tonight’s attack on Qasem Soleimani—who is responsible for killing countless Americans—sends a strong message: Don’t mess with America. 🇺🇸
— Doug Collins (@RepDougCollins) January 3, 2020
Shortly after news of the strike broke, Trump tweeted out a picture of an American flag with no comment.
Meanwhile, Iran vowed to seek “severe revenge” against the U.S. for the strike.
