Trump admin offers scant evidence on Iranian threat in ‘America First’ war
Al Jazeera
War powers legislation talks reignite as Democrats push back on Trump’s justification for ‘preemptive’ strikes on Iran.
Washington, DC – As the US and Israeli militaries expand their strikes on Iran, the administration of US President Donald Trump has alternated its justification for the war between preventing immediate attacks and countering the long-term existential threat of a nuclear Tehran.
This was on full display on Monday, with Trump and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth appearing to make the case that the culmination of Iran’s regional policies in the 47 years since the Islamic revolution, coupled with the future of its ballistic and nuclear programmes, represented an immediate threat to the US.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, argued that Washington’s close ally Israel was planning to attack Iran. In which event, the administration expected Iran to strike US assets, therefore justifying launching a preemptive attack, he said.
To date, the administration has offered scant clear evidence to support any of its claims, according to advocates and analysts, as well as Democratic lawmakers who have recently attended classified briefings.
“The reality is, they’ve put forth very little evidence, and that’s a huge problem,” Emma Belcher, the director of Ploughshares, a group that advocates for denuclearisation, told Al Jazeera.
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