Ilhan Omar doesn't trust Trump administration, warns against another 'endless war'
Rep. Ilhan Omar joined CNN's Erin Burnett on Monday, where she railed against the Trump administration for escalating tension between the U.S. and Iran following this weekend's attack on a Saudi oil facility.
Omar said the president and his administration don't understand the consequences of their words after the president tweeted that the U.S. was "locked and loaded" on Sunday in response to Saturday's attack. Omar added, "Congress has the constitutional right to declare war. The president doesn't have it, the secretary of state doesn't have it, and Saudi Arabia certainly doesn't have it."
Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2019
Earlier Monday, while addressing White House reporters, President Trump continued to blame Iran for the oil field attack while simultaneously walking back his war comments. During her interview later that night, Omar expressed skepticism about any information that Trump or his administration shares.
"We need to make sure that the American people understand that this administration that lies about weather maps or crowd sizes cannot be trusted to give us the full information we need to be able to make a decision whether we should be going to war or not with Iran," explained Omar.
The Minnesota congresswoman, who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, continued to stress the importance of a congressional investigation and urged her fellow representatives to consider a diplomatic approach.
"We are not in a position to think about another endless war, and I really hope that my colleagues in Congress are going to pressure this administration to take a step back and figure out how we use diplomacy in deescalating the situation," said representative Omar.
Omar referenced the last major U.S. conflict as a warning. "We can't forget our involvement in Iraq and how there are people who beat the drums of war and ultimately make us regret a decade or so later."
An administration "that lies about weather maps" can't be trusted on Iran
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar dismisses President Trump's ability to navigate escalating tensions with Iran, pointing to the controversy over Hurricane Dorian's path and whether it would hit Alabama. pic.twitter.com/gOK5WYqYAk— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) September 17, 2019
Outfront With Erin Burnett airs weeknights at 7 p.m. on CNN.
See Sean Spicer make controversial debut on 'Dancing With the Stars'
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Beyoncé's 'Making the Gift' special reveals rare videos of Blue Ivy, Rumi and Sir Carter
'Masked Singer' introduces characters and unveils first set of clues for Season 2
James Corden shuts down Bill Maher for controversial 'fat shaming' comments
Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.