Democratic Senator Says He’d Vote To Fund Trump’s ‘Dumb War’ With Iran

On Monday, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) slammed President Donald Trump for prosecuting a “dumb war” against Iran, but on Tuesday, he nonetheless said he would back legislation to fund the military venture.

Since the bombing began on Saturday, U.S. and Israeli strikes have killed hundreds of Iranians and dozens of top officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In one strike on a school in southern Iran, more than 165 people were killed, most of them children. Six U.S. service members were killed in an Iranian strike in Kuwait.

Gallego has been a vocal opponent of the war, criticizing Trump for “following” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into war. A New York Times report said the prime minister had been instrumental in convincing Trump to act.

“But we don’t need to go to war for them,” Gallego told MS NOW on Monday, “especially when it’s a dumb war.”

On Tuesday, the senator reiterated his objections to Trump’s “war of choice,” but added that he would nonetheless vote to fund it if the administration asks.

“[I]t’s not in the best interest of this country,” he said on CNN’s The Source. “And more importantly, this is such a distraction. America is hurting right now. I talked to Arizonans all the time. They can’t buy a house. Rent is getting expensive. Food’s expensive. And what are we doing? We’re spending billions of dollars on a war of choice. A war of choice right now that this country does not want. What the people want, what the country wants, is a country that’s going to benefit and look out for their benefit, not for other countries right now.”

Host Kaitlan Collins then asked Gallego if he would support a hypothetical bill to continue funding the war. Gallego said he would, provided that Israel and other U.S. allies in the Middle East pony up half the money.

COLLINS: If the Pentagon asks for more funding for what’s happening, would you support it?

GALLEGO: I’m going to say that in my opinion I want to see at least 50% of that money has to come from the gulf states and from Israel. We cannot continue to cut Medicaid–

COLLINS: So, if the Pentagon comes to you and asks for more funding for this war you’re going to say 50% of it must come from those other countries.

GALLEGO: Those other countries. We’re using our stockpile. We’re using our taxpayer money to protect those countries. At the same time, we’re cutting Medicaid, we’re cutting food stamps. People are hurting you know, we cannot keep doing this. We use our treasure. We’re using our men to protect these countries. They need to throw in and have skin in the game too.

Watch above via CNN.

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