Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is urging the Trump administration to use diplomacy in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
She said the 2015 Iran deal that limited the country’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief was valuable.
"It allowed us to have intel about location of military bases, location of centrifuges, location of production facilities, and it allowed us to protect the United States should Iran decide to become nuclearized from the military perspective," said said.
President Trump withdrew the U.S. from that deal during his first term, and Gillibrand said since then, Iran started building centrifuges again and stockpiling uranium.
As the conflict continues between Israel and Iran, Gillibrand said she hopes the administration will keep that in mind and work toward a diplomatic solution.
"I just hope that President Trump will continue to pursue negotiations and pursue diplomacy,” Gillibrand said. “I do not think getting into a World War is wise or appropriate."
She adds she supports Israel’s right to defend itself “1000 percent.”
“I think the best way to defend Israel is for Israel to be engaging diplomatically,” she said. “I think it’s strategically the best solution not starting a war, or not retaliating for Iran’s previous issuing of over 300 missiles aimed toward Israel.”
Gillibrand also stresses that Congress has the sole power to declare war, and the president could only respond in an exigent circumstance with Congressional permission. Gillibrand said she expects any military action would be aggressively debated in Congress.
