Washington, March 5 (IANS) US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Thursday that “Americans don’t want war”, sharply criticising President Donald Trump’s handling of the escalating conflict with Iran and accusing Senate Republicans of backing what he called the President’s “military escapades”.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer said the public across the political spectrum opposed the growing military confrontation in the Middle East.

“Americans don’t want war. Not Republican voters, not Independents, not even many of President Trump’s MAGA base,” the Senate Minority Leader said.

“They feel betrayed by what’s happening in the Middle East, and they feel betrayed by the Senators in this chamber who refuse to put a check on Donald Trump’s belligerence.”

Schumer said the Senate, earlier on Wednesday, missed an opportunity to restrain the Trump administration as tensions in the region continue to rise.

“Yesterday was a disappointing and low moment for the United States Senate,” he added.

“With war in the Middle East escalating by the day, Senate Republicans chose to get behind Trump’s military escapades despite overwhelming opposition from the American people.”

New York Democrat Schumer warned that the conflict was expanding beyond its initial theatre.

“The war is widening,” Schumer said, adding: “There was fighting as far south as the Indian Ocean and drone attacks perhaps as far north as Azerbaijan.”

He also accused the Trump administration of offering shifting explanations about the goals of the military campaign.

“Meanwhile, there is no strategy. Donald Trump’s story and rationales keep changing by the day,” Schumer said.

“If you listen to Pete Hegseth, to Marco Rubio, to Donald Trump, it is very, very obvious. They are making it up as they go along.”

Schumer said that the consequences of the conflict were already being felt inside the United States of America, particularly through rising fuel prices.

“Americans are worried. Gas prices are up from that of a week ago,” he added.

Referring to a media report, Schumer added: “There is a story in ‘Politico’ that Susie Wiles, Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff, was sounding the alarm on gas prices.”

He suggested the White House was trying to shift the narrative around the economic impact of the conflict.

“Apparently the White House is scrambling to find something positive to say about gas prices to change the narrative,” Schumer said.

He blamed the rising fuel costs on the Trump administration’s decision to launch military action.

“Here’s an idea — if Donald Trump doesn’t want gas prices to go up, he should not have unilaterally started a war with Iran,” Schumer added.

He also accused the US administration of acting without adequate planning.

“It’s another sign that this (Trump) administration seems allergic to having a plan and thinking about the consequences in advance,” Schumer said.

The Senate leader added that Republicans now share responsibility for the conflict after backing the US President.

“Shame on Senate Republicans for not standing up to Donald Trump and his unpopular war,” Schumer said.

“Senate Republicans had their chance to do something that would have overwhelmingly been popular — to say no to Trump’s war,” he added.

“Instead, they enthusiastically said yes, and now they own this war with Iran just as much as Donald Trump does.”

–IANS

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