During a House Democratic leadership press briefing, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was asked about communication between the White House and Congressional leaders ahead of President Trump striking Iranian nuclear sites.
00:00Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Leader. President Trump made the announcement of the strike on Truth Social. So much of the information that we're finding out is from his social media. Are you concerned that a Truth Social post or some sort of social media post could lead to unintended escalation?
00:20What are your thoughts about how the president is just conducting his outreach to the American people through his social media channels?
00:28Yes, it's all extraordinary. You know, Donald Trump stated on social media that three sites were hit. Were three sites hit? We don't know. That's why we need a briefing.
00:43Donald Trump suggested that there was a ceasefire and then it no longer appeared that there was actually a ceasefire.
00:50That's why we need, on behalf of the American people, a congressional briefing.
00:58Donald Trump suggested that Iran's nuclear program had been completely and totally obliterated.
01:04Was that the case or was that not the case? We don't know. The American people don't know.
01:09The American people deserve the truth.
01:10Not truth, not truth social posts that are increasingly unhinged.
01:17The American people deserve to know the truth.
01:21And that process begins with a congressional briefing that flows from.
01:29It flows from the constitutional responsibility.
01:34That Congress has and has alone.
01:37To declare war.
01:39The Constitution is not an inconvenience.
01:45George Washington.
01:47In his farewell address to Congress.
01:51And on this issue, George Washington is the OG.
01:57The original general.
01:59The original war hero.
02:01The original revolutionary.
02:04And then the first president.
02:06And in his farewell address to Congress, he said that the Constitution is secretly obligatory upon all.
02:16That means everyone.
02:18That came from the OG, the original general.
02:21In Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11, is very clear.
02:28On behalf of the American people, Congress and Congress alone has the responsibility of declaring war.
02:40And that is why the president needs to explain why he did not seek authorization for the use of military force.
02:51That is fine.
02:53I just want to ask you.
02:54I'm just going to ask you specifically for real.
02:55Great.
02:56I'm just going to ask you specifically for real.
03:02I just wanted to ask you specifically for real.
