Senate Republicans are not going to sit on their hands and watch President Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth think they control the United States military.
Recent troop movements away from Senate approved military bases in Romania, combined with the Trump administration not pushing advanced weapons into the battlefield of Ukraine, have Senate Republicans planning to take immediate action to control military operations.
Somewhere in the evolution of Presidential authority, the Senate now affirms they alone have the authority to control the organization, priorities, spending intentions and troop deployments from their chambers in Washington DC.
War must be had according to the upper branch of the legislature. The Senate is not going to accept any effort to work around their foreign policy objectives, regardless of these insufferable ‘peace’ initiatives of the White House.
WASHINGTON DC – […] Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he’s seen an “unsettling trend” of Pentagon moves that he argues undermine Trump’s stated commitments to NATO and other international efforts — and he singled out Colby’s office in particular. It’s a distinction the Mississippi Republican often makes when criticizing administration policies — President Donald Trump has the right idea, but officials lower down in the administration or Pentagon are going about it the wrong way.
For example, he cited a decision last week to remove a rotational Army brigade from Romania, which Wicker criticized at the time.
“Members and staff of this committee have struggled to receive information from the policy office,” Wicker said. “This does not match our experience with the first Trump administration.”
“The situation needs to improve if we are to craft the best defense policy,” he said.
[…] Senators also cited other controversies tied to the Pentagon’s policy office that blindsided Congress as well as other parts of the administration — including confusion over a reported pause on some assistance to Ukraine, a review of the AUKUS submarine partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom and a new reshuffling of portfolios in the policy shop.
“I understand media reports can be wrong,” said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) “But it just seems like there’s this pigpen-like mess coming out of the policy shop that you don’t see” from other offices, he said. (read more)
For those who are critical of President Trump endorsing Senators like Lindsey Graham, please put these kinds of reference points into your contemplations of the dynamics. The Republicans in the Senate are critically unaligned in their support of Trump’s noninterventionist foreign policy.
That’s OK. Democrats will be back in charge soon. Our side doesn’t vote or stop the other side from cheating.
I know last night sucked. But, don’t let what happens in off-year Democrat state elections get under your skin. 👍
There are times to proceed with a sunny demeanor and times to recognize the dire situation that we are in. I’m all for living with positivity, but when the house is burning down and your one route of escape is about to be cut off leaving you a crispy critter, it is not time for a smile, it’s time to get to work and get the heck out.
Momdani probably won NYC, but NJ and Virginia elected Rep governors, and Prop 50 probably did not pass in California. That is the reality of the situation, because spoiler alert, we don’t have elections anymore, we have algorithms that allows someone with a mouse to select who will be allowed to represent them.
Tony D is looking at reality and not pretending, the one escape route is fixing the elections, if we don’t focus on that to the exclusion of everything else, we will not escape the burning building.
fact
Who’s side exactly? I’m not being represented and registered Independent so technically I have no side. When you understand that the Republican party is a different wing of the same bird you will see why things don’t change.
If you are an Independent then you are out of the battle. Join the GOP and vote in the primary elections to get rid of the neocons and the deep state operatives.
Wouldn’t that make me a RINO?
You mean the G.O.P. that ran John McCain on the same exact points that Barack Hussein Obama ranqexx MBqs on? How’d that work out for the US (using illegal immigration to change the demographics and gaining seats in the house). McStain, who was the friend to everyone and hated Trump’s guts?
McStain, then Romney/Ryan, are the primary reason I woke up to and left the Republican Party. I will never vote for a Democrat but always find it difficult to vote for my RINO do nothing rep. That’s also when that dweeb Michael Steele was RINO in Chief of the RNC and every time I see him speak now I’m embarrassed I ever was a strong Republican.
Exactly……….and there are many out there who pretend to be with us, but are actually protecting THAT establishment!
Like Mark Levin!
The Unipartys’ primary focus concerning foreign affairs is Empire maintenance.
Senate Republicans object to removing our troops from Romania instead of objecting to the annulment and theft of their last election.
NATO lost its’ reason to exist by 1991. Actual European security is better served with being neutral countries, how Austria and Sweden were.
Rutte embodies the pathetic, useless yet mortally dangerous condition of NATO. It only serves as an ignition system to start a world war. A war that neither Europe or the US could win.
Combining the costs to continually regime change, subsidize and control the combination of our vassal states in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa has mortally bankrupted our post 1945 socio-economic system.
The historically brief period 1945-1991, of high living standards, security and global dominance are over.
This system astronomically enriched a handful of people. But this system incrementally destroyed the key factors of the US$ dominance, the loss of manufacturing dominance and military dominance.
Unless we immediately focus within our own country and end the overseas arterial bleeding, we will become a permanent 3rd world country.
I don’t know who voted yesterday, but I’ll bet NOT MANY.
In my precinct in MN there are approx 2500 residents/voters and at 5pm when I voted there were only 450 votes. City council and school board was on the ballot and apparently people just don’t give a Flying Fluke.
If THAT happens……you can kiss America good bye. You don’t actually think they will screw up a second time….do you? They will finish what they couldn’t under Biden and we may be looking out through cattle cars on our way to one of Hillary’s re education camps!
It is imperative that they never have and hold power again! PERIOD!
No matter last night that just happened in those areas…..we have not lost the war..it was a very small battle.
And make no mistake about it……IT IS A WAR!
Then enemy is within…
And it IS what used to be called the Democrat party……now having been taken over by something we never thought we would see in this country!
Hardly a shock what happened. Not like these are red states. We do now know that if you are a democrat it is ok to talk about murder, even a whole family, only an apology is needed and all is forgiven. And they have virtually admitted they are all commies
Spot on Tony.
Wicker clutching his pearls. Someone with more talent than me should meme that. “How dare you craft defense policy without me!”
Or looking at his wallet. If the trough isn’t full, he can’t feed his friends and they don’t pay him back.
And troughers are incapable of considering the possibility that their slop isn’t infinite.
This is not sustainable. A crossroad will come very soon. Too much fat, too much money, too many individual interests and little patriotism in the halls of Federal Government. I believe the version of this Constitutional Republic will be dismantled.
Unfortunately, what we get after that “dismantling” will be much worse.
Can’t get worse than what’s going on now
Oh yes, yes it can.
Much worse.
Tyranny always gets its way in the end.
Per AI (full disclosure)
“Republics can last for centuries, like the Roman Republic (482 years), or they can be as new as the United States, the longest-running constitutional republic in the world. A republic ends when it is no longer functional or democratic. “
Recorded history has been around for about 5,000 years.
For most of that time, the rule was held by a single individual.
What we see going on in the Western World is a gradual decline in Democracy and/or a Republican form of government.
Government in the Western world today has the form of a veneer of Democracy/republicanism, but only in practice.
People dislike being ruled by one individual or a small clique, but somehow that has been the norm over the last 5,000 years.
This election isn’t the end; it may not even be the beginning of the end, but it sure is worrisome.
Keep praying. Keep your heads on a swivel, and don’t give up.
To describe our and the EU systems of governance the most accurate term I’ve found is “Kleptocracy”.
“a veneer of Democracy/republicanism” is a description of only one superficial aspect of these systems.
We are ruled by a small clique, that is dysfunctionally corrupt, incompetent and lack any morals or spirituality.
I would argue what has long become a mythical Constitutional Republic ended in 1861. The year that individual sovereign states that had voted into the Republic discovered that the right to vote out of it was anulled.
We are an Oligarchy now–Rule by the Elite Rich for the good of the Elite and not the Common Good of all.
The Europeans should have been weaned of Uncle Sucker’s teats 65 years ago the way Ike wanted. Instead they built cradle to grave social safety net hammocks with money that should have gone to defence. Now they’re pretending to boost defence while importing millions more unemployable savages onto the dole while hoping that MAGA goes away.
1000% in Agreement. The Marshall Plan spawned the foreign aid kickback scheme that lives on to this day, that is eating our economy and destroying any sense of duty in our political class to the electorate.
The 17th amendment really needs to go. It resulted in the creation of 50 “small” presidents. Intentional double entendre.
19th also.
Amen.
It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies and nosers−out of unorthodoxy.
-Orwell, 1984
Rachel Janfaza
@racheljanfaza
17h
Young women are the story of tonight. 81% for Mamdani in NYC 80% for Sherrill in NJ 78% for Spanberger in VA per NBC’s exit polls.
Of course not. These bastards only support the military industrial complex. They want war and conflict.
BIG money in war not so much in peace….
Sure there is. First you blow it up, then you rebuild.
Congress owns stock in thee bullets and the band-aids.
You just confirmed what you were replying to!
They said…there was big money in war…not so much in peace.
And you said…sure there is. Then where is that big money in peace?
You went back to war by blowing it up and rebuilding it……THAT’S WAR!
The Constitution is quite clear on this point: the President is the military commander-in-chief, in terms of miliatary orders given and obeyed.
While the Congress shall “provide for the common Defence.” (sic) Congress(!) is supposed to “declare War,” and to “raise and support Armies,” and “a Navy.” And, to create “rules for Government and Regulation” of the military. To “provide for” the Militia. In short, the command of the military is given to the President, while operation of the military is given to Congress, as well as the long-ignored obligation to “declare War.”
The requirement to “declare” strongly implies that Congress is indeed to be directly involved in “where, when, and for how long” military forces are deployed. But the President is the sole “outward facing” officer of the government. When carrying out operations that Congress has authorized, he must be given strong discretion.
We saw where Vietnam went with Congress. No thanks.
Executive “operational control” is NOT the job of congress.
Operational Control = Command … there can only be 1 Commander.
Congress is charged with authorizing the President to prosecute a war as commander and chief via “declaration of war”. Right or Wrong (until the Supreme Court says otherwise) this includes application the War Powers ACT as well as the Article I Constitutional Authority to “Declare war”.
Congress can regulate INTERNAL Working (or operations as you state) of the Military. Congress has zero control over how the military is used other than refusing financially support an Executive Command decision.
Congress “provides” for the Military via money, regulating the internal workings of the services and setting limits on the size of the military.
The application and deployment of force are COMMAND decisions.
If congress desires to mandate an action by the President they have to “declare war” or expand the War Powers ACT as written to “declare a state of hostility exits” requiring the President to Address it.
There is currently NO state of hostility involving a single treaty requiring the US to use or deploy Military Force. The NATO commitment has never been changed … the rotational forces being withdrawn were sent to Europe to provide an unnecessary augmentation, and are no longer needed.
Congress can “authorize” all the money they desire to authorize. The Chief Executive has determined that our pre-2022 Forces in Europe are sufficient given the EU’s publicly stated decisions to materially meet their NATO Treaty obligations and vs a Threat that does not exist.
Those RINO NEOCONS don’t have a set of stones among them. Their main concern is how to continue their kickbacks from foreigners.
Note to the CIC: carry on, Sir!!!
Are the neocon warhawks throwing a tantrum because France, Germany, and the UK get to act all tough and Trump is acting like he actually MEANS IT about all this World Peace stuff? These Senators were much more popular with their campaign funders in the military industrial complex back when Jim Mattis, Linsey Graham, and John McCain were keeping the “never ending wars” show running. Now Trump and Hegseth want “Peace Through Strength”, there’s no money in Peace!
https://open.substack.com/pub/alfrancis/p/national-divorce-or-civil-war?r=1nbcvc&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Little by little the senate is whittling away the powers of the president.
‘
attempting to
Thomas Jefferson’s life’s work has been destroyed. He must be spinning in his grave.
So basically, their feelings and egos are hurt that the President who was resoundingly elected dares to make his own decisions and strive for peace.
War mongers and lifelong politicians tend to do that. PDJT and Sec. Hegseth should keep those Senatorial (and Representative) egos in check.
“They can’t handle the truth!”
Not feelings and egos.
Their bank accounts.
Wonder how many Congress critters have overseas bank accounts…
Be something if datarepublican managed to get hold of that information.
Trump is commander and chief, not the Senate.
Has anyone noticed that these old men who really need to RETIRE are the ones who insist on nit picking Trump to death? Well, I have, and each one that I look up always fits into the same category of SHOULD BE RETIRED now, too old and OUT OF TOUCH to even have any chance of looking things up and comprehending what’s gong on TODAY—this guy fits the bill, he’s been in office since 07!!
The results from the past do not align with the future. We are always behind on results because our approach is antiquated. Trump sees that.
And, the parts going unnoticed will be our demise. Forget everything, they are symptoms, all the problems. Our world now listens to a handheld device infested with demons. And it will tell you such but, it’s the future.
Solomon, “nothing new under the sun.” People were listening to demons thousands of years ago and destroyed society, now we have another contender, “the phone!” Kill your baby, kill yourself, kill anyone bringing truth. And they all say?
They are voting for madmen and women to run our nation?
Personally, I see many people who are “good” morally and character, the enemy has them terrified. That saying from Janice Joplin “Freedom, means nothing left to lose.” Sad!
The line is actually “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose”. I bring it up only because you put quotes around your interpretation of the line.
I’m sick of these Republicans ignoring the 78 million verified, certified American citizens who voted for America 1st, Trump/MAGA!! And I’m tired of the Democrat insurrection disturbing my life, liberty and pursuit of happiness as well as all my civil rights.
I think it’s time for a show of force. I know the last time didn’t go as planned but we really did scare the shit out of Congress!!
I think President Trump should invite us to peacefully and patriotically rally at the Capitol.
It might be the only action that will put the fear of MAGA in them
These Folks will soon be in the Senate MINORITY…so none of this should be of any further interest to them!
FREAKIN’ SELL-OUTS!
Most of them belong in Cuba.
War at the speed and proficiency of Congress is indeed a comical thought.
Somebody in a Big White House in DC is President and Commander in Chief.
And, Senator Wicker is not that guy.
Besides being a weasel from way back, his only claim to fame is that nasty dust-up he had with the President of Russia.
The story goes that President Putin back around 2012 or so found out some really bad things were going on with Russian children adopted out internationally, so Pres Putin put a stop to it.
There are still articles on the internet about it-at least the articles that haven’t been scrubbed.
Another problem with wars is that the wars create a cover for trafficking.
0.o
I hate to point out the obvious but isn’t the Senate the government body that can’t even get it together to pay the troops?
We shouldn’t have expected the Dems to lose in NYC, NJ or VA.
It’s the midterms that matter.
Stop the mail-in ballot fraud and we will win big time.
Trump, in both his administrations, has let the Congress, and especially the senate, pursue its own politics. It didn’t work. Mitch McConnell was a central figure in the 2020 coup against the president. Trump needs to impose his own politics on the Congress, which he can easily do by using the bully pulpit. He needs to go straight to the people and ask them to contact their representatives on issues like recess appointments and/or quickly confirming nominations. And any other issue. It’s almost like he’s been told he shouldn’t do this.
Find out how many of them and/or House Representatives were planning on taking a taxpayer paid vacay to Romania to “visit the soldiers there”.
It seems like we tried that in Viet Nam. Learn from history or suffer the consequences.
If we are serious about improving the quality of life for humans on this planet; get out of the U.N., NATO and Europe. Quit babysitting, quit supporting. Follow the Monroe Doctrine
Senate Republicans have a history of f’ing up even wet dreams so why am I surprised?
Love how these people are always willing to shed blood… Just not their own for a country they supposedly love.
Congress pulled out of Vietnam so fast that they wete accusing men of dessertion where the helicoptors never showed up for their pickup points.