Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has no plans to take up a new resolution authorizing the president to use military force abroad, and told reporters Friday he believes President Trump had the authority to conduct strikes in Syria on Thursday and is not planning new strikes.
“I think the president had the authority to do what he did,” said McConnell, R-Ky. “And I’m glad he did it.”
McConnell rejected bipartisan calls for Congress to take up a new authorizing measure. Congress has not taken up an Authorization to Use Military Force, or AUMF, since 2002. But he said if Trump sends an AUMF, he would consider it, though he did not promise a vote.
McConnell cited President Obama’s draft AUMF, send to Capitol Hill in 2015. It was rejected by Republicans who said it was too restrictive, and by many Democrats who judged it to be too broad in allowing military force.
“If the president can think of an AUMF that he thinks can strengthen his hand, I’d be happy to take a look at it,” McConnell said.
McConnell said he will not heed calls by some Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, that lawmakers abandon a planned two-week recess so a new AUMF can be formally debated.
Vice President Mike Pence informed McConnell about the strikes late Thursday, and McConnell said he did not believe more action is imminent.
“This strike was related to the use of chemical weapons only,” McConnell said. “So I don’t interpret this as a first step toward anything else in particular other than trying to eliminate or at least make sure [Syria] knows what the consequences are for doing this.”
