Top Republican Accuses Trump Admin of Keeping Congress In the Dark on Iran: ‘They’re Not Telling Us Things’

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, put the Pentagon on blast on Wednesday following a classified briefing on Iran.

Politico’s Connor O’Brien reported on Rogers’s frustrations, which included not getting clear information about the ongoing conflict, including the potential deployment of ground troops onto Iranian territory.

“We want to know more about what’s going on, what the options are, and why they’re being considered,” Rogers said. “We’re just not getting enough answers.”

“This is not just about Epic Fury” he continued, adding, “This is a consistent pattern of tagging the base and saying ‘We came over and briefed you.’ But they’re not telling us things.”

O’Brien noted that Rogers was not the only top Republican frustrated with the Pentagon on Wednesday. Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) reacted to Rogers’s comments, saying, “Let me put it this way: I can see why he might have said that. I haven’t heard his comment, and I don’t know the context. But I can see why he might have said that.”

“We just wanted them to tell us what’s the plan, and we didn’t get any answers,” Wicker added. “I understand they can’t give us, they shouldn’t give us, specific operational details. But generally, we should be able to get more texture than we’re receiving from them.”

Pentagon officials briefed both the House and Senate Armed Service committees on Wednesday, just a day after President Donald Trump ordered the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division deployed to the Middle East.

Alex Ward, a national security reporter for the Wall Street Journal, commented on O’brien’s report, noting, “At least 3 congressional Republicans—including chairs of House and Senate Armed Services—are hinting strongly that a ground operation in Iran is planned and could potentially be underway soon.”

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) went on a tirade on social media earlier in the day, heavily hinting that she walked out of the briefing as the Pentagon was suggesting deploying boots on the ground, which she said she will oppose.

“Washington’s war machine is hard at work. They are try [sic] to drag us into Iran to make it another Iraq. We can’t let them,” Mace posted following the briefing.

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