Sen. Lindsey Graham Says Article II Allows Trump To Declare War On Iran

In an appearance on Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News Tuesday night, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) said that the missile strikes were an act of war, and that President Donald Trump has the authority he needs to respond to the latest attacks on American forces in Iraq. 

This comes after an airstrike Tuesday night that targeted to bases in Iraq that was holding U.S. troops. The attack was in response to an airstrike late last week that killed Iran’s top Gen. Qassem Soleimani. 

“Let me say tonight if you are watching television in Iran. I just got off the phone with the president. Your fate is in your own hands in terms of the regime’s economic viability. (If) you continue this crap, you’re going to wake up one day out of the oil business,” he said on Fox News, suggesting that the United States attack Iranian oil fields. 

Iran fired over 20 missiles at the U.S. forces. No casualties have yet to be reported. 

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In a tweet, Trump said that all was well and that an assessment of the damage was underway.  

Graham continued to speak on behalf of the president, saying that Trump wants a change in Iran’s regieme’s behavior, referring to their missile and nuclear programs. 

“They’ve been disrupting the Middle East for 40 years. It needs to stop,” Graham added. 

Tensions started to rise between the United States and Iran since Trump pulled out of the Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran and increased sanctions in 2018. Since then, Iran has continued to comply with parts of the treaty. However after the assassination of their top General Qassem Soleimani, Iran announced on Sunday that they would no longer abide to major parts of the deal.