President Biden is coming under
fire from conservatives for posts he wrote as a presidential candidate in 2020,
when he condemned then-President Trump for bombing Iran without congressional
approval in light of Thursday’s bombing of Yemen by the Biden administration.
"Let's be clear: Donald
Trump does not have the authority to take us into war with Iran without
Congressional approval," Biden posted in January 2020 after Trump launched
a strike that killed the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Qassem
Soleimani.
"A president should never
take this nation to war without the informed consent of the American
people," Biden added.
"As President, I will use
military power responsibly and as a last resort. We will not go back to forever
wars in the Middle East," Biden posted in February 2020 with the hashtag
"DemDebate."
IN RARE MOVE TOP REPUBLICANS BACK
BIDEN'S AIRSTRIKES ON HOUTHI REBELS IN YEMEN: 'OVERDUE BUT WELCOME'
On Thursday, the Biden
administration announced it launched missile strikes in Yemen in response to
attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea. That action, in
addition to sparking outrage within the progressive left, prompted
conservatives to bring up Biden’s previous posts on social media.
"It’s (D)ifferent when Biden
does it," conservative commentator Benny Johnson posted on X.
"This aged well," Rep.
Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., posted on X.
":) when you’re a democrat
they let you do it," Washington Free Beacon reporter Joe Simonson posted
on X.
YEMEN'S IRANIAN-BACKED HOUTHIS
LAUNCH LARGEST RED SEA DRONE AND MISSILE ATTACK TO DATE
"Welp…," combat veteran
and author Sean Parnell posted on X.
Several conservatives also
pointed out that the Biden administration lifted the terrorist designation for
the Houthis in Yemen less than a month after Biden took office in 2021. Omri
Ceren, who serves as a national security adviser to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, posted
on X, "They knew they were doing bad things for bad reasons so they lied
to the public and reporters about their decision. As the Houthis escalated,
they couldn't respond. They're still doing it."
Some Democrats took issue with
Biden’s post as well, including Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib and progressive
activist Nina Turner, who posted on X saying, "Tonight, @JoeBiden dropped
bombs on Yemen without Congressional approval."
"[Biden] is violating
Article I of the Constitution by carrying out airstrikes in Yemen without
congressional approval. The American people are tired of endless war,"
Tlaib posted.
White House for comment but did not
immediately receive a response.
President Biden said he had
authorized the strikes "in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks
against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of
anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history."
These Houthi attacks, Biden said,
have endangered U.S. personnel and its allies and have threatened freedom of
navigation.
"These targeted strikes are
a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate
attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of
navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes," the
president said.
"I will not hesitate to
direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of
international commerce as necessary."