US Senator Van Hollen Criticizes Trump’s Constitutional Overreach on War Powers
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has asserted that former President Donald Trump significantly undermined the U.S. Constitution, especially by disregarding the decisions of the House of Representatives and the Senate concerning war powers against Iran.
Van Hollen, identified as a potential presidential candidate for 2028 in a discussion with the website Responsible Statecraft, declared that any military action against Iran would be unlawful. He urged an end to financial support for such a conflict and called on Congress to reject the administration’s request for approximately $70 billion in additional funding. The senator argued that allocating these funds would imply congressional approval for the continuation of hostilities.
Acknowledging a decline in American influence, Van Hollen noted the continuous rise of other global powers, with China being the most prominent. He stated that Washington appears unaware of its own power limitations.
He further remarked that Trump seemed to believe, similar to the situation in Venezuela, that he could achieve any objective anywhere in the world swiftly. Van Hollen suggested that the United States should reconsider its military presence globally.
“What we are witnessing in Iran is the clearest evidence of America’s power limitations,” he added.
Regarding U.S. support for Israel, Van Hollen expressed a growing sentiment among the public that American taxpayers should cease providing unconditional financial aid to Tel Aviv. He proposed that any offensive weaponry supplied to Israel should be contingent upon a withdrawal from the West Bank according to an agreed-upon timeline.
Commenting on the conflict in Gaza, Van Hollen stated that granting broad authorities to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government undermines American security in the region and its standing internationally.
