The White House is privately pushing congressional lawmakers to keep their cool as the war in Iran wraps up its 12th day, arguing it is critical to root out threats from the Islamic Republic against the US and its allies.
The message from the White House to jittery Republicans is that the “short-term spike” at the pump is needed for a “long-term gain,” a White House official told The Post.
While Republicans in Congress are largely cheering on President Trump’s military campaign in Iran — at least publicly — many of them are anticipating fallout and potential midterm headaches from it. Some are even gently nudging him to wrap it up.
“This is an overriding success. Our military is astounding the world,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime” Tuesday. “It’s been astounding, historic.”
“Now it’s time to declare victory.”
Lawmakers had been given an estimate earlier this week that the first two days of Operation Epic Fury cost about $5.6 billion. But 12 days in, the total price tag thus far appears unknown to lawmakers.
“I think probably tens [of billions of dollars], but I don’t know,” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told The Post.
“Whether you agree or disagree with Iran, look, we are perilously low on some of the ammunition stocks that we would need if, God forbid, and nobody wants this, we got into a confrontation in the Western Pacific with the Chinese,” he added at another point during a wide-ranging interview.
