Past tweets from prominent Democrats including Vice President Kamala Harris and White House press secretary Jen Psaki that were critical of former President Donald Trump’s approval of airstrikes in Syria resurfaced after President Joe Biden ordered an airstrike late Thursday.
Harris, then a California senator, previously tweeted that she was “deeply concerned about the legal rationale” of an April 2018 airstrike approved by Trump that targeted three chemical weapons sites in Syria. Harris also said the former president needed to lay out a Syria strategy “in consultation with Congress.”
The president needs to lay out a comprehensive strategy in Syria in consultation with Congress — and he needs to do it now.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) April 14, 2018
Psaki previously questioned Trump’s “legal authority” to conduct airstrikes after the former president approved an operation in April 2017 targeting a Syrian air base.
“Assad is a brutal dictator. But Syria is a sovereign country,” she tweeted.
Also what is the legal authority for strikes? Assad is a brutal dictator. But Syria is a sovereign country.
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) April 7, 2017
A number of other prominent Democrats slammed the Trump administration for conducting airstrikes in Syria. Critics argued that such operations were unconstitutional and the former president required congressional authorization for military force.
Then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi tweeted in April 2018 that airstrikes “were no substitute for a coherent strategy” and Trump needed to “come to Congress” and propose a “comprehensive strategy.”
.@realDonaldTrump must come to Congress to obtain a new AUMF, present a clear set of objectives, & ultimately hold Putin accountable for the bloodshed he has enabled. https://t.co/Mwdwbs289X pic.twitter.com/9f3AB1SJnX
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) April 14, 2018
Democratic New York Rep. Jerry Nadler criticized the former president in an April 2018 tweet for not “getting the congressional approval required for military action.”
To be clear, Syrian Pres Bashar al-Assad is a monster who has committed war crimes against his own people. But that does not absolve @realDonaldTrump from getting the congressional approval required for military action. https://t.co/jfVdGr08Ie
— Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) April 14, 2018
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, who was on the Democratic presidential ticket in 2016, called Trump’s airstrikes “illegal” in an April 2018 tweet and said Congress should ensure that presidents do not have “a blank check to wage war.”
