Defense

Greene denounces Yemen strikes, pointing to Biden’s past criticism of Trump

by Nick Robertson - 01/12/24 9:39 AM ET

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) denounced U.S. airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday, calling the Biden administration “insanely out of control.”

The joint U.S.-U.K. airstrikes hit about a dozen targets in Yemen, killing five people, Houthi leadership said. The attack was in response to a Houthi naval strike campaign on civilian shipping in the Red Sea.

Greene said the Yemen strikes could bring the U.S. closer to war with Iran, which backs the Houthis.

“The President must come to Congress for permission before going to war,” she said on X, formerly Twitter. “Biden can not solely decide to bomb Yemen.”

“Biden admin wants to fund war in Ukraine, control the war in Israel, arm Taiwan and prep for war with China, and is now going to war in the Middle East???” she continued. “This is insanely out of control!”

Greene also compared the military action to former President Trump’s 2020 airstrikes of an Iranian official, which Biden had heavily criticized. She highlighted his previous comments.

“Let’s be clear: Donald Trump does not have the authority to take us to war with Iran without Congressional approval,” Biden said in 2020. “A president should never take this nation to war without the informed consent of the American people.”

“Joe must have forgot,” Greene wrote, pointing to the comments.

Rep. Majorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) is interviewed outside a House Oversight Committee markup on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 as they consider a resolution to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena last month. (Allison Robbert)

Biden justified the action as a necessary defensive strike against a force that has targeted American vessels in the Red Sea.

“Today’s defensive action follows this extensive diplomatic campaign and Houthi rebels’ escalating attacks against commercial vessels,” he said. “These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes.”

“I will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary,” he added.

The Yemen strikes have received mixed reactions across the aisle.

Progressive Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) also criticized the attacks, calling the decision to strike without congressional approval “an unacceptable violation” of the Constitution.

“Article 1 requires that military action be authorized by Congress,” she said.

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Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) shared similar concerns.

“The Constitution matters, regardless of party affiliation,” Lee said.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), however, applauded the decision to strike, saying the attacks mark a positive step in action against Iran in the region.

“President Biden’s decision to use military force against these Iranian proxies is overdue,” McConnell said in a statement.

“I am hopeful these operations mark an enduring shift in the Biden Administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies. To restore deterrence and change Iran’s calculus, Iranian leaders themselves must believe that they will pay a meaningful price unless they abandon their worldwide campaign of terror,” he said. “The United States and our allies must leave no room to doubt that the days of unanswered terrorist aggression are over.”