Trump’s go-it-alone strategy on Iran risks dividing an already split Congress

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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a military strike on Iran’s nuclear sites without fully consulting the U.S. Congress layered a partisan approach onto a risky action, particularly because the White House briefed top Republican leaders beforehand while leaving Democrats with little information.

While House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Republican leader John Thune and the GOP chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee all were briefed before the action, their counterparts were not. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer was given a perfunctory heads-up by the White House shortly before the strikes were made public. And House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries’ office received a “courtesy call” before Trump announced it. The so-called Gang of Eight congressional and intelligence leaders were not notified before the mission, according to two people familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it.

One, Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he learned of the strikes on social media, which he said “is an uncomfortable thing for the ranking member of the Intelligence Committee.”

“Bad enough that we weren’t informed,” Himes, of Connecticut, said Sunday on CNN, “but unconstitutional that we didn’t have the opportunity to debate and speak, as the representatives of the people, on what is one of the more consequential foreign policy things that this country has done in a long time.”

It’s a highly unusual situation that is complicating the difficult politics ahead for the president and his party as the U.S. enters an uncertain national security era with the surprise military attack on the nuclear facilities, an unprecedented incursion in Iran.

Trump faces a vote in Congress as soon as this week on a war powers resolution from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would “direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.” Another resolution has been introduced by lawmakers from both parties in the U.S. House. And at least one Democrat, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, said Trump’s actions are “clearly grounds for impeachment.”

At the same time, the Trump administration is expecting Congress to send an additional $350 billion in national security funds as part of the president’s big tax breaks bill also heading soon for a vote. Senators are set to be briefed Tuesday behind closed doors on the situation in Iran.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Sunday that the White House made “bipartisan courtesy calls” to congressional leadership. She said in a social media post that the White House spoke to Schumer “before the strike” but that House leader Jeffries “could not be reached until after, but he was briefed.”

While the president has authority as the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces to order specific military actions, any prolonged war-time footing would traditionally need authorization from Congress. The House and Senate authorized actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.

“Congress should be consulted,” Kaine said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “We were not.”

As soon as Trump announced the actions late Saturday, he won swift support from the GOP leadership in Congress. Johnson, Thune and the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, were all briefed ahead of time and sent almost simultaneous statements backing the military campaign, as did the House Intelligence Committee chairman, Rep. Rick Crawford, also of Arkansas.

But by apparently engaging with only one side of the political aisle, Trump risks saddling his Republican Party with political ownership of the military action against Iran, which may or may not prove popular with Americans. Rather than rally the country to his side, Trump risks cleaving its already deep divisions over his second term agenda.

Johnson, who praised Trump’s action against Iran as “the right call,” said the president’s targeted strike was within his authority and in line with past presidential actions.

“Leaders in Congress were aware of the urgency of this situation and the Commander-in-Chief evaluated that the imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act,” Johnson, R-La., said on social media.

Trump himself has shown little patience for political dissent from within his party, even as criticism rolls in from among his most trusted backers.

The Iran military campaign threatens to splinter Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, which powered his return to the White House. Many Trump supporters aligned with his campaign promises not to involve the United States in overseas actions and instead to be a peace-making president.

“I think I represent part of the coalition that elected Trump,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on CBS. “We were tired of endless wars in the Middle East.”

Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California have introduced their own war powers resolution in the House, a sign of how close the far left and far right have bonded over their opposition to U.S. campaigns abroad, particularly in the Middle East.

The Trump administration insisted Sunday the U.S. is not seeking a war with Iran. “We’re not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program,” said Vice President JD Vance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

And Trump swiftly attacked Massie, who is one of the most steadfast non-interventionist GOP lawmakers in Congress — along with Sen. Rand Paul, also of Kentucky — and the president suggested he would turn his Republican Party against the congressman.

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“MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague!” the president said on social media. “The good news is that we will have a wonderful American Patriot running against him in the Republican Primary, and I’ll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard.”

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Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

Twins fight back but fall yet again to Milwaukee Brewers

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Another day, same result for the Twins. But in this one, at the very least, they showed plenty of life before suffering the same fate.

The Twins’ comeback attempt fell short on Sunday, as they fell 9-8 to the Milwaukee Brewers at Target Field, swept in a series in which their pitchers gave up a combined 35 runs. But they sure made it interesting first, scoring five runs in innings six through eight to turn what looked like yet another blowout into a one-run loss.

The Twins were led by Byron Buxton, who hit a game-tying home run to lead off the bottom of the first inning and another home run in the sixth inning. Buxton now has six home runs in his past six games, during which his team is 1-5.

He had plenty of help offensively on Sunday, the team finishing the day with 18 hits. Brooks Lee, the day after his 19-game hitting streak was snapped, had four of them, and so, too, did Carlos Correa. Ryan Jeffers hit a home run in the fourth inning and in the eighth, Ty France brought the Twins within one with a two-run blast.

But the Twins missed an opportunity to push more runs across in the first inning. They scored two runs before loading the bases with one out and their rally halted there. That lead was short lived.

After using an opener to begin the game — reliever Danny Coulombe began the game and gave up a run in the first inning — starter David Festa entered and immediately gave up a home run to Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins to tie the game.

That was the beginning of a of a tough outing for Festa, who allowed eight runs for the second time in four starts since he was called up earlier this month to take the rotation spot of injured ace Pablo López.

In the third inning, Lee could not handle two straight balls hit his way at third base. The next batter, Christian Yelich, hit a single just over his head, giving Milwaukee the lead back. Milwaukee scored two runs in the third, another in the fourth and four more in the fifth inning against Festa before Griffin Jax eventually entered in the sixth inning to bail him out of a jam.

Strong performances from the bullpen over the next few innings gave them a chance to creep back into the game but after leaving a pair of runners on in the eighth inning, they left two more on in the ninth to drop their ninth game of their last 10.

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St. Paul’s Sean Sweeney reportedly takes top assistant job with Spurs

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Sean Sweeney is changing locations, but not leaving Texas.

The St. Paul product is leaving Dallas, where he spent the last four years serving as the Mavericks’ top assistant, for San Antonio, per an ESPN report. 

Sweeney, a Cretin-Derham hall and University of St. Thomas product, will become the Spurs’ associate head coach under San Antonio head man Mitch Johnson.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Sweeney’s contract was set to expire at the end of the month and that the Spurs were in “hot pursuit” of the coach.

Sweeney, who’s been a legitimate head coaching candidate who made a deep run in Phoenix’s head coaching search this offseason after helping guide Dallas to the 2022 West Finals and 2024 NBA Finals, now takes an elevated role on San Antonio’s staff, where he’ll work with the likes of Victor Wembanyama and the presumptive No. 2 pick in next week’s draft, incoming rookie guard Dylan Harper.

Frost re-sign Batherson and Butorac

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The two-time defending PWHL champion Frost re-signed a couple of their own, the Frost announced Sunday.

Minnesota re-signed Mae Batherson to a two-year deal and Claire Butorac to a one-year contract.

A sixth-round pick a year ago, Batherson played in 25 regular season games and three playoff contests for the Frost this season. Butorac has played 66 games for the Frost between regular season and postseason competition over the past two seasons.

Minnesota has also re-signed defender Natalie Buchbinder and goaltender Maddie Rooney this offseason, while adding defender Sidney Morin.