By MICHEAL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
After speaking to South Green Elementary fifth graders for roughly an hour about the separation of powers, Republican Congressman Brett Guthrie defended President Donald Trump’s administration’s attacks on Iran.
After the classroom discussion, Guthrie turned to a current controversy that has tested those separation-of-powers questions. In an interview with Glasgow News 1 following the presentation. He defended the president’s recent military moves involving Iran. Guthrie said he believes Trump complied with the federal War Powers Act, a law that outlines how presidents must consult with Congress on military actions.
“The president did comply with the War Powers Act,” Guthrie said. “I mean people say he didn’t [but] Congress set up rules for the president to take this kind of action, and he complied with it.”
Guthrie said the president followed the law by informing the “Gang of Eight,” a term that generally refers to the top leaders of the House and Senate, and the chairs and ranking members of the intelligence committees. He said it would not have been feasible to brief all 435 House members in advance in a secure setting.
Guthrie repeatedly described Iran as presenting an “imminent” threat, pointing to what he characterized as Iran’s missile capabilities and efforts to rebuild its path to a nuclear weapon. He said those factors justified the president’s decision to act under the War Powers framework.
“It’s clear [Iran] had missile capabilities [and] those have been eliminated,” Guthrie said. “Can you imagine if they had gone first? That was the fear and that’s why it was imminent and that’s why he complied with the War Powers Act.”
Guthrie also noted that Congress did not spell out a specific definition of “imminent” in the law.
Debate on the United States’ war powers intensified since Trump’s administration has taken recent military action in Iran. Some Democrats called the operation illegal since the constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.
Some members of Congress are demanding a vote on a war powers resolution that would restrict the administration’s military attacks, according to the Associated Press. Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie said this action was not putting “America First,” according to the Associated Press.
Key Facts
– U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie visited South Green Elementary on March 13
– He spoke to fifth graders about the history and function of separation of powers
– Afterward, he discussed President Donald Trump’s recent actions involving Iran with Glasgow News 1
– Guthrie said Trump complied with the War Powers Act by informing the “Gang of Eight”
– He described Iran as posing an “imminent” threat, citing missiles and nuclear concerns
– Guthrie noted Congress did not clearly define “imminent” in the War Powers Act
