The Trump administration did not inform Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) before its Friday morning strike in Iraq against top Iranian military leader Qassem Suleimani, an aide told HuffPost via email. As the minority leader in the Senate, Schumer is part of what’s called the “Gang of Eight”: powerful lawmakers whom presidents and their staff traditionally keep updated about a range of sensitive national security issues. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), another member of the group, appeared to suggest that she was not briefed either in a later statement. Other high-ranking lawmakers with national security experience raised the alarm about being excluded. “Reminder that Congress has not authorized war with Iran.”

Source: Huffington Post January 03, 2020 03:33 UTC