On Sunday’s broadcast of ABC’s “This Week,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Trump administration is cleaning up the “mess” the Obama administration created in Iran.
Partial transcript as follows:
STEPHANOPOULOS: There’s also the question going forward if you take any new action against Iran is congressional authorization needed. Former Vice-President Biden spoke about that yesterday. Let’s listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)
JOE BIDEN, FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT: I’m going to make it clear, President Trump has no authority to take us to a military conflict with Iran, period. The bottom line is any further action against Iran requires congressional authorization.
(END VIDEOCLIP)
STEPHANOPOULOS: Will the president go to Congress before taking new military action against Iran?
POMPEO: Boy, it’s really something to hear the vice-president from the previous administration be critical of this administration’s policy of Iran. We’re having to clean up their mess, George. We’ll do everything required under the law to bring us into compliance with all the relevant constitutional legal provisions with respect to our duties to the legislative branch.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Does that mean you’ll seek new authorizations or no?
POMPEO: We have all the authority we need to do what we’ve done to date. We will continue to do things appropriately, lawfully, and constitutionally. George, we’ve been consistent about that. There’s no reason to expect we’d do anything different going forward.
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