Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) blasted President Trump’s Republican allies in Congress on Monday, saying they would be responsible if the U.S. and Iran go to war.
Waters cited the departures from the Pentagon of former Defense Secretary James Mattis and other officials in arguing that Republicans should not follow Trump’s lead.
“OK Repubs. Keep shielding & protecting this impeached prez despite his lies (15k); despite his unilaterally pulling out of Iran deal; despite weak answers on imminent danger; despite Mattis quitting, now Pentagon CoS quits; you are going to be responsible for dragging us to war!”
The Pentagon announced Monday that Eric Chewning, chief of staff to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, will leave his position at the end of the month, with Jen Stewart, the top GOP staffer for the House Armed Services Committee, set to replace him.
The “weak answers on imminent danger” refers to claims by Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the U.S. killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani due to “imminent danger” of an attack that would put American troops at risk. Pompeo has declined to elaborate on the evidence and members of Congress have cast doubt on its validity.
Iran has threatened retaliation for the killing of Soleimani, while Trump tweeted over the weekend that any response would be met with targeted attacks on 52 unspecified targets, including those of cultural significance.