U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today addressed the escalating Iran crisis and the increased threat to U.S. national and homeland security resulting from President Trump’s approval of an airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

“So far, I haven’t seen anything that indicates that killing Soleimani has prevented an imminent attack against Americans and certainly nothing that indicates his death alone, absent any strategy for managing the fallout or longer term strategy for Iran, is going to make Americans or our interests more secure in the short, medium, or long term,” said Menendez.  “At this point, I have more questions about the prudence and legitimacy of this strike and most importantly, remain convinced that our interests are no more secure than prior to the Soleimani strike…. The Administration owes Congress and the American people serious explanations.”

Earlier today, Sens. Menendez and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on the President to declassify and make public to the American people the notification to Congress and additional information that led to his decision.