'You're not a dictator:' House committee jabs back at Trump after he said he could strike Iran without giving Congress notice

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

U.S. President Donald Trump pats his bicep and pumps his fist at the end of his rally with supporters in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S. August 15, 2019

• The House Foreign Affairs on Sunday evening hit back at President Donald Trump after he tweeted that he was not required to give Congress notice before striking Iran.
• Tensions have been sparked over the killing of Iran's top military official Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike on Thursday because it appears Trump did not consult with Congress before making the move.
• In a tweet on Sunday, Trump said that his posts now count as official notice to Congress on his plans to attack Iran.
• But the House Foreign Affairs Committee hit back, saying that war powers reside in the Congress under the constitution.
• "You're not a dictator," they wrote.
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The House Foreign Affairs on Sunday evening hit back at President Donald Trump after he tweeted that he was not required to give Congress notice before striking Iran.

Trump has been clashing with Congress over the killing of Iran's top military official Gen. Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike on Thursday. It appears that Trump did not consult with Congress before taking an action that some experts say may lead to a dangerous escalation and possible retaliation.

Some members of Congress have even questioned the legality of Trump's actions, igniting a fierce debate about presidential power.

In his tweet on Sunday, Trump wrote that his tweets now count as official notice to Congress on his plans to attack Iran.

"These Media Posts will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any US person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner," he wrote.

"Such legal notice is not required, but is given nevertheless!"

According to Insider's political correspondent Sonam Sheth, tweets do not constitute official notifications, and although Trump is not legally obligated to consult with Congress over a military action deemed an emergency, only Congress has the constitutional authority to declare war.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee responded to Trump's tweets on Sunday evening and advised Trump to "read the War Powers Act" adopted in 1973.

"This Media Post will serve as a reminder that war powers reside in the Congress under the United States Constitution," they wrote in a post mocking Trump's tweet. "And that you should read the War Powers Act. And that you're not a dictator."

Iran has vowed to seek "severe revenge" for Soleimani's killing, and on Sunday completely withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal. Experts say that revenge may include cyberattacks, which could be devastating.

Meanwhile, Trump has threatened to hit dozens of Iranian sites if Iran strikes "Americans" or "American assets."

"Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!" Trump wrote in a tweet.

But Trump's threat to deliberately target "Iranian culture" sites could amount to war crimes under international law if carried out.

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