After attending a funeral for a servicemember earlier in the day, conservative Congressman Matt Gaetz returned to Capitol Hill and voted with the vast majority of House Democrats on a non-binding resolution to curb President Trump’s power to take military action against Iran.
He then went on Fox News to explain his actions.
Fox News’ Yael Halon reports:
“I spoke to the president today,” Gaetz revealed on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” “The president told me he is more antiwar than I am, and I love the president for that. The thing is, I think a few of the advisers of the president are trying to slow-walk the administration into war. When the president relies on his instincts and we have the Trump doctrine, we kill the terrorist and we come home.”
I represent more troops than any other member of this body. I buried one of them earlier today at Arlington.
If our servicemembers have the courage to fight and die in these wars, Congress ought to have the courage to vote for or against them.
I’m voting for this resolution. pic.twitter.com/cSCBG7CmIm
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) January 9, 2020
The War Powers Resolution proposed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi passed by a final vote of 224-194 Eight Democrats voted against the measure and three Republicans voted in favor of it. The other two Republicans who joined Gaetz were Tom Massie of Kentucky and Francis Rooney of Florida.
Gaetz, one of Trump’s closest allies in the House, explained his support for the resolution was not meant to reflect negatively on the president.
“I think this War Powers Resolution was worthy of support because it did not criticize the president,” he said. “It did not say he was wrong in killing [Quds Force Gen.] Soleimani. But…it did say that if any president wants to drag our nation into another forever Middle East war that they require the approval of the United States Congress.”
AAN Staff
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