Gabbard blasts Iran strike: ‘Trump’s actions are an act of war’

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) ripped President Trump for approving an airstrike against Iran’s top general, calling the attack “an act of war.”

“Make no mistake: Trump’s actions are an act of war,” Gabbard, a presidential candidate, said in an email to supporters. “Taken without any authorization or declaration of war from Congress, seriously escalating this tit for tat conflict, pushing us deeper into an endless quagmire and dangerously undermining our national security.” 

Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran, has hinged much of her White House bid on ending America’s military involvements abroad and withdrawing troops from the Middle East.

“We need to get out of Iraq and Syria now. That is the only way that we’re going to prevent ourselves from being dragged into this quagmire, deeper and deeper into a war with Iran,” the Hawaii Democrat tweeted Friday.

We need to get out of Iraq and Syria now. That is the only way that we’re going to prevent ourselves from being dragged into this quagmire, deeper and deeper into a war with Iran. #WWIII #TrumpsWar #StandWithTulsi pic.twitter.com/nb8mLfiywq

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) January 3, 2020

Democrats have slammed Trump’s decision to launch the attack against Qassem Soleimani, with many saying he needed congressional authority to order the killing. 

The attack has also raised fears of continue escalation in Iraq. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “harsh retaliation” over the strike, causing concern that Tehran could tap its militias across the world to attack American interests. 

While many Democrats have expressed similar skepticism of America’s military interventions abroad, Gabbard has struggled to gain traction in the polls, failing to qualify for the last primary debate.