Schumer, House Foreign Affairs Condemn Trump Over Iran Tweets: He Seems 'Hell Bent' on Starting War, 'You're Not A Dictator'

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the House Foreign Affairs committee on Sunday condemned President Donald Trump for suggesting that this tweets are sufficient in notifying members of Congress of U.S. military action taken against Iran.

In a series of tweets posted over the weekend, Trump warned Iran against launching strikes on American targets in retaliation for the killing of their top General Qassem Soleimani, which the U.S. president authorized late last week. "These Media Posts," he wrote, in an apparent reference to his own tweets, "will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any U.S. person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner. Such legal notice is not required, but is given nevertheless!"

The president's remarks have caused strong retaliation from Democratic lawmakers, who've also criticized him for failing to brief top congressional leaders, also known as the Gang-of-Eight, of his decision to attack Soleimani until after the fact.

Mirroring Trump's own language, the House Foreign Affairs committee on Sunday afternoon tweeted: "This Media Post will serve as a reminder that war powers reside in the Congress under the United States Constitution. And that you should read the War Powers Act. And that you're not a dictator."

Hours later, Schumer accused Trump of attempting to start another "endless war" without authority from Congress.

"President Trump seems hell bent on starting another endless war in the Middle East," the Democrat tweeted. "He does not have the authority to do so. I plan to fight him tooth and nail on this and intend to support the efforts of Senators Kaine, Sanders, and others. Congress must assert its authority."

In a statement on Saturday, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) vowed to prevent an "ill-conceived" war with Iran. "The President pushed ahead with this strike, ignoring his obligation to consult with Congress and escalating an already volatile situation with Iran. We need to send a clear message to the White House: don't plunge this country into an ill-conceived war against Iran," Engel said, before noting that Republican senators stopped his efforts last year to pass legislation to stop the Trump administration from going to war with the nation without prior congressional approval.

"In light of the most recent actions, we have an obligation to try again," he added. "I've already started working with my colleagues on new legislation to rein in the Administration."

America's unexpected move of launching an airstrike to killed Soleimani has rattled those part of the foreign affairs establishment in Washington, with some speculating that it could trigger a war with Tehran.