Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Saturday praised President Donald Trump for taking military action to subvert what he said were clear threats posed by Iran.
Tehran, he said, had “refused the diplomatic off-ramps” presented by the administration before the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
“For years, Iran’s relentless nuclear ambitions, its expanded ballistic missile inventory, and its unwavering support for terror groups in the region have posed a clear and unacceptable threat to U.S. servicemembers, citizens in the region, and many of our allies. Despite the dogged efforts of the president and his administration, the Iranian regime has refused the diplomatic off-ramps that would peacefully resolve these national security concerns. I commend President Trump for taking action to thwart these threats,” Thune said in a statement on X.
Thune also thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he said provided updates to him throughout the week, adding that he looks forward to an all-senator briefing.
“I thank Secretary Rubio for providing updates on these issues throughout the week, and I look forward to administration officials briefing all senators about these military operations,” Thune said.
CNN previously reported that Rubio had notified at least some of the members of the “Gang of Eight” in advance of the strikes — including Thune — but they were not given a full accounting of the legal justification, multiple sources familiar with the matter said.