On the war in Iran, the White House confronts cracks in the Republican façade

During a recent appearance on Fox News, Donald Trump, unprompted, decided to start whining about Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. “She’s a very difficult person,” the president said, adding that the senator is also a “very terrible person, to be honest with you.”

This Video Is Trending Right Now →

What prompted Trump lashing out at a senator from his own party, whose support he’ll need in the coming weeks and months? Shortly before his on-air comments, The New York Times reported that the Alaskan had begun drafting legislation that would force lawmakers to vote for the first time on whether to authorize the war in Iran. From the article:

Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is working with a group of senators on a formal authorization for the use of military force against Iran, but has yet to introduce the resolution, a spokesman confirmed on Thursday. Such a measure would have to receive a swift vote in both chambers of Congress and would be all but certain to generate a politically charged debate just months before the midterm elections on a war that polls show is unpopular.

Ms. Murkowski described the move on Thursday as an act of desperation to try to put some parameters around the operation as the Trump administration refuses to provide answers to Congress about its objectives, cost and timeline, and has boxed lawmakers out of its decision-making on the conflict.

It probably wasn’t a coincidence that the president condemned Murkowski as “difficult” and a “very terrible person” right around the time she decided that it’s time for Congress to start exercising some of its atrophied muscles related to war powers.

What’s more, courage is often contagious on Capitol Hill, and just five days after Murkowski talked about her efforts, Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah wrote an op-ed for The Deseret News in which he expressed general support for the mission in Iran, but fleshed out his expectations for Congress’ role.

“[H]ere in America, constitutional limits are in place to temper the president from unilateral authority,” Curtis wrote. “I support the president’s actions taken in defense of American lives and interests. However, I will not support ongoing military action beyond a 60-day window without congressional approval. … I cannot support funding for continued military operations without Congress having the opportunity to weigh in.”