Duckworth on Senate Floor Once Again Demands Senate GOP End Trump’s Illegal and Unjustified War in Iran

Duckworth on Senate Floor Once Again Demands Senate GOP End Trump's Illegal and Unjustified War in Iran

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)-a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC), Foreign Relations (SFRC) and Veterans' Affairs (SVAC) Committees-last night once again came to the Senate floor to implore her Republican colleagues to consider the oaths they took and vote in support of U.S. Senator Chris Murphy's (D-CT) War Powers Resolution that would withdraw American military forces from Trump's illegal, unnecessary war with Iran that has already killed 13 servicemembers and put thousands of Americans in danger overseas while sending costs through the roof here at home. Duckworth's full remarks can be found on the Senator's YouTube.

Key Quotes:

• "Every day since he started this embarrassment of a war, Donald Trump has saluted our troops with one hand and given them the finger with the other…When asked to justify his actions, he's tried to hide his ignorance and cowardice behind their courage. He's tried to act as if questioning why we're at war is the same as questioning the skill and bravery of our troops themselves. It isn't. Not at all…They will always, always execute their orders to the maximum capability of their professionalism. And they're proud to do it. The problem is the man who is giving those orders. The problem is that the Commander-in-Chief not only has no idea what the end-state looks like in this war of choice, but probably doesn't even know what the term 'end-state' means at all."

• "Right now, our duty is to demand accountability. It's to get answers. It's to make sure that [our servicemembers'] mission is justified, feasible and worthy of the sacrifices we are asking them to make. That's why I'm here today: to ensure that we never again get ourselves into an ego-driven forever war, like the last time a president rashly sent our sons and daughters into an unjustified war in the Middle East. I'm here to make sure that we never again get ourselves into an ego-driven forever war. I'm here to stop a man who was never brave enough to serve in uniform himself from using our heroes as cannon fodder."

• "Trump won't bear the costs of this war that he started. His children won't serve in harm's way. He's been lining his pockets with corrupt billions since the moment he took office-so he won't worry about how far the cost of gas has been driven up by his actions. No, the American people are the ones who suffer in wars of choice, so it is the American people-through their elected representatives-who should decide when war is worth that cost. And as those elected representatives, it is our obligation to consider the interests of our constituents over those of one man-and to stop our nation from teetering further into this nightmare."

Senator Duckworth's full remarks as prepared can be found below:

Every day since he started this embarrassment of a war, Donald Trump has saluted our troops with one hand and given them the finger with the other.

Because despite the lies he tells on Truth Social, he is actively making the choice to use our heroes as cannon fodder. From the moment this conflict began, Trump has tried to shroud his incompetence behind their valor.

When asked to justify his actions, he's tried to hide his ignorance and cowardice behind their courage. He's tried to act as if questioning why we're at war is the same as questioning the skill and bravery of our troops themselves.

It isn't. Not at all.

I know that our military will always do the best job possible. When given a mission, our servicemembers don't say, "Why me?" They don't ask, "But will I be safe?" And they sure as hell don't run to their podiatrist crying "bone spurs."

No.

Instead, they pack their rucksacks. They lace up their boots. They show up. And they do what's asked of them. Time after time, tour after tour.

They will always, always execute their orders to the maximum capability of their professionalism. And they're proud to do it.

The problem is the man who is giving those orders.

The problem is that the Commander-in-Chief not only has no idea what the end-state looks like in his war of choice, but probably doesn't even know what the term "end-state" means at all.

Look, I ran for Congress so that when the drums of war started beating, I'd be in a position to make sure that our elected officials fully considered the true costs of war-not just in dollars and cents, but in human lives as well.

So as those drums echo louder than they have in years, I'm here today because despite what he thinks, Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally force us into war. He may have never read the Constitution, but I have.

So for the third time since this war began, let me direct his attention to Article I, which makes clear that the president does not have the power to declare war. Only Congress does.

We are the ones tasked with deciding when and how Americans are sent into combat. We are the ones charged with that most solemn duty.

Yet Trump is acting as if Article I simply doesn't exist…as if obeying the Constitution is optional…as if our founding document is just a yellowing, crumbling piece of paper he can crumple up at will.

Refusing to allow him to get away with this should not-must not-be a partisan issue.

No matter if you're struggling to pay rent or your name is plastered in fake gold on a building on Fifth Avenue, no one can ignore the Constitution. No matter if you're a Mar-a-Lago worker pulling double-shifts or the President of the United States, no one is above the law.

And no matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican, you should know that our military men and women will always do their jobs. So it's beholden on us as legislators to do our jobs before more of our warriors lose their lives in service of theirs.

Right now, our duty is to demand accountability. It's to get answers. It's to make sure that their mission is justified, feasible and worthy of the sacrifices we are asking them to make.

That's why I'm here today: to ensure that we never again get ourselves into an ego-driven forever war, like the last time a president rashly sent our sons and daughters into an unjustified war in the Middle East.

I'm here to make sure that we never again get ourselves into an ego-driven forever war. I'm here to stop a man who was never brave enough to serve in uniform himself from using our heroes as cannon fodder.

Look, I'm no dove. I know there are certain solemn, urgent times when our military must be called upon to defend our nation. There are certain moments when the threat in question is significant and imminent…

When military force is the most effective tool at hand-when using it is necessary to protect Americans. And when using military force will not create more threats than it eliminates.

Trump has shown no evidence that this was one of those times. Yet he's had almost a month to do so. But if the Administration actually does believe that this war is justified, then they need to come to Congress and tell us why.

We're not hard to find. The Capitol is the building with the big dome on top, about a 20-minute walk from the White House. They need to walk through our doors and actually do their jobs.

They need to explain their case…respecting the American people enough to tell them why they're being forced to take on the costs of this conflict. They need to prove that they've thought this through …that they can tell us what their plan is to stop this war…

They need to show us that they have even a "concept of a plan" of how to get to an end-state in Iran that would make us safer, not more threatened. Then, when their case has been made…when Congress' debate is done…we must vote.

It's our job. It's our responsibility. It's our burden.

Look, centuries ago, our nation's founders feared that one day, America would be burdened with a chief executive who'd be too fond of conflict and chaos, and that that leader's affinity for bloodshed would have unthinkable consequences for the nation at large.

That is why they placed the power to declare war in the hands of Congress, not a single person.

Trump won't bear the costs of this war that he started. His children won't serve in harm's way. He's been lining his pockets with corrupt billions since the moment he took office-so he won't worry about how far the cost of gas has been driven up by his actions.

No, the American people are the ones who suffer in wars of choice, so it is the American people-through their elected representatives-who should decide when war is worth that cost.

And as those elected representatives, it is our obligation to consider the interests of our constituents over those of one man-and to stop our nation from teetering further into this nightmare. That's what we're doing here, this evening, as we vote on Senator Murphy's War Powers Resolution.

Americans deserve better than unanswered questions, unjustified conflict and unnecessary tragedy. Our men and women in uniform sure as hell do as well. So until we get some answers, I will keep coming to this floor…keep voting withdraw our sons and daughters from hostilities with Iran…keep working to prevent the boots on the ground that the president so casually, so callously, threatens in front of the press…and I'm going to keep demanding that the Administration end this deadly vanity project if they cannot justify the cost we've already been forced to bear, both in dollars and cents and daughters and sons.

It's the least we can do for those willing to sacrifice the most for our nation.

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