Trump Announces Withdrawal from Iran Nuclear Deal, Maryland Leaders Respond
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) said President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran Nuclear Deal is a choice that will “destroy America’s credibility.”
During his announcement Tuesday, Trump stated “this was a horrible, one-sided deal that should have never been made.” He went that the deal “didn’t bring calm, it didn’t bring peace, and it never will.”
In 2015, the United States reached a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program would be exclusively peaceful. As a result of Iran meeting its nuclear commitments, the United States and the EU lifted nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, as described in the JCPOA.
Following Trump’s announcement, Maryland leaders criticized the president stating his decision “was based on politics, not national security.”
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) released the following statement:
“The Iran deal—forged with the world’s major powers—took us off the path of a disastrous war over Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The Iran deal has verifiably prevented Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, imposed tough constraints on their nuclear program, and subjected Iran to the most comprehensive inspection and monitoring regime ever negotiated.
“That’s why Trump’s own Secretary of Defense Mattis said that staying in the Iran deal was in the national security interest of the United States. Even Trump’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a critic of the deal, recently testified that Iran was in compliance with the agreement. But despite that clear consensus, the President ripped up the Iran deal and offered no plan B. And by doing that, he has freed Iran to restart its nuclear weapons program without international inspections.
“There is no doubt that Iran has been a menace in the region—on everything from supporting Assad’s murderous regime in Syria to supplying terrorist groups like Hezbollah with weapons. The United States has and must confront this Iranian aggression. But this agreement was not designed to be a silver bullet. It was premised on the reality that a nuclear-armed Iran would be more of a menace on all these fronts than a non-nuclear Iran. That remains as true today as when the nuclear agreement was signed.
“Make no mistake: Trump’s decision was based on politics, not national security. By withdrawing from the deal, Trump has isolated America from our allies, served the interest of the Iranian hardliners, and destroyed America’s credibility.”
Other leaders reacted on Twitter
President’s foolish decision to walk away from #IranDeal makes it easier for Iran to get a bomb & undermines American credibility on the world stage. @realDonaldTrump has unleashed yet another crisis.
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) May 8, 2018
Without the #IranDeal’s rigorous inspection regime, Iran could resume its illegal nuclear weapons program. Pulling out of the #IranDeal is dangerous, reckless and provocative.
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) May 8, 2018
THIS is why Putin helped Trump campaign—he knew Trump is untrustworthy & would back out of our global engagements(TPP, Paris, Iran) & diminish our leadership in the world. Pulling back from our global leadership position is bad for our economy & nat sec https://t.co/ER1NYc6Ym5
— John K. Delaney (@JohnKDelaney) May 8, 2018
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