1 hour ago

GOP Congressman Says Iran War Is 'Certainly Not Small Potatoes'

GOP Rep. Mike Lawler (N.Y.) on Sunday said the Iran war is "certainly not small potatoes," in an apparent effort to distance himself from President Donald Trump's recent controversial comments.

"No, any time you are at war or in a military escalation, it is certainly not small potatoes. It is serious. I think we all recognize that," Lawler, who is up for reelection in November, told CNN's "State of the Union."

Also in the news: Armed Man Charged Toward Democratic Candidate For Ohio Governor At Fair, Law Enforcement Says

Still, Lawler defended Trump's decision to continue fighting Tehran.

"Ensuring Iran does not possess a nuclear weapon, stopping them from continuing to finance terrorism, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other terror proxies, stopping them from mass-producing ballistic missiles, drones, which are being used by Russia against Ukraine, is critical," he added. "And much of the military operation has been focused on depleting their military capabilities and in recent months making sure that they are not blocking the ability of commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz."

Trump has tried to downplay the conflict despite the fact that 18 U.S. service members have been killed since the war broke out.

"A lot of people don't call it a war," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Friday. "I call it a military conflict because it's small potatoes for us. It's not a big thing."

Link - x.com