House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said he wants to hold open hearings to investigate President Donald Trump’s actions regarding Iran.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Schiff said he thinks Trump’s actions could lead to war between the United States and Iran and called for Congress to “fully engage.”
“I think there should be open hearings on this subject. The president has put us on a path where we may be at war with Iran. That requires the Congress to fully engage.”
Schiff’s comments come as Iranian officials said they would stop complying with the 2015 nuclear deal and after Trump threatened to strike 52 Iranian targets if Americans are attacked.
Schiff added that he doesn’t believe the plan for a “disproportionate” response came from the Pentagon.
“None of that could come out of the Pentagon,” he said. “Absolutely no way.”
Additionally, Schiff said he wants to have open hearings to determine if intelligence showed that Soleimani was planning attacks against Americans prior to the drone strike that killed him.
“I’m certainly not satisfied that the intelligence supports the conclusion that the killing of Soleimani was going to either prevent attacks on the United States or reduce the risk to American lives.”
He added that he feels the decision to kill Soleimani was an “impulsive judgment.”
“I fear this is the result of the president purging anyone of stature who could stand up to him. I think this is the result of a dysfunctional and nonexistent National Security Council process.”
Finally, Schiff said that he would support Congress moving to repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force — which the Trump Administration used to defend the legality of the strike.
