COLUMBIA, S.C. — After President Donald Trump approved an airstrike targeting top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, federal lawmakers across the state published reactions to the news.
In a series of tweets, Senator Lindsey Graham said he approved of the decision.
"Wow - the price of killing and injuring Americans has just gone up drastically. Major blow to Iranian regime that has American blood on its hands. Soleimani was one of the most ruthless and vicious members of the Ayatollah's regime. He had American blood on his hands," Graham tweeted.
Graham also tweeted, "When it comes to the death of General Soleimani, there is no one to blame but himself."
Senator Graham also warned against what he called 'Iranian aggression.'
Graham's Senate colleague, Tim Scott, also released a statement.
"Last night, based off of credible intelligence, American forces executed a calculated and proportional response to Iran’s belligerent aggression towards the United States and our allies. We must be a factor for deterrence in the Middle East, and Iranian provocations showed they had no intentions of backing down. Iran and Soleimani continued to attack and kill Americans, sieged our embassy in Baghdad, and carried out acts of violence to destabilize the region as a whole. The President was absolutely within his authority to approve this operation and we will not be deterred when American lives and American interests are in jeopardy.”
In a separate media event on Friday morning, 2nd District Congressman Joe Wilson also spoke about the airstrike.
"How courageous it was for the President to rid the world of one of the great terrorists of, sadly, of our era. Leader Soleimani of the Quds force, an individual who has master-minded the mass-murder of Americans. He initiated the attack on our base two weeks ago, killing an American contractor, wounding four Americans. Then, we responded by going after the terrorists and then the terrorists then organized, very likely with Soleimani's direction, the attack on our embassy. And so, it's quite appropriate that President Trump take the action to rid the world of this person who was a threat to America's national security, a threat to American families. And I'm just so proud of the President's leadership to act so decisively," Wilson said.
Across the aisle, Congressional Democrat and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn released a statement on Twitter.
"The President’s unilateral action places our country at greater risk with no evidence of a strategy. His failure to even consult Congress—entrusted by the Constitution to authorize military force—is alarming. Congress must uphold our responsibility to protect national security," Clyburn's tweet stated.
Congressman Jim Cunningham, in his first term representing SC's 1st District, also released a statement.
"Last night’s airstrike was unprecedented with incalculable consequences that will play out over the coming days, weeks, and months. Given the immense gravity of this situation, Congress needs to hear from the Administration about the intelligence that led to this airstrike and how it fits into our broader strategy to counter Iran’s destabilizing presence in the region, consolidate our gains in Iraq, and combat violent extremism. Soleimani was a brutal killer responsible for the death of hundreds of Americans, but his death is not a substitute for thoughtful foreign policy. Without a full account of the facts on the ground, whether or not the Administration acted within its authority in carrying out this strike remains in question. However, this much is clear: the Administration cannot take any action that will bring us closer to a conflict with Iran without the consent of Congress. Right now, our top priority must be preventing further escalation and protecting the lives of American service members and diplomats overseas."