STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
One senator who opposed the resolution requiring congressional approval for further U.S. military action is on the line. Republican Ron Johnson, the senior senator from Wisconsin. Senator, welcome back.
RON JOHNSON: Thanks for having me on.
INSKEEP: Why not vote for Congress to have a say?
JOHNSON: First of all, you can't have 535 commanders in chiefs. It just simply wouldn't work. Even notifying Congress is dangerous to our men and women of our uniform in these situations. You telegraph our plans to our enemies, and obviously, the war impact wouldn't be as effective. But let's face it, Iran has been at war with us for 47 years. They are the largest state sponsor of terror. They have these proxy groups, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas. They have the blood of hundreds, probably thousands of Americans on their hands.
So at some point in time, it was going to be too late for us to act to prevent them from becoming a nuclear power, from having enough missiles where we simply couldn't act. And at some point in time, you have to act. Somebody's got to make that decision. Five hundred and thirty-five members of Congress would not be able to make that decision.
INSKEEP: So you support the president's decision on substance. Let's talk about the process, though, 'cause it's important in a constitutional republic. In 2011, President Obama, as you recall, ordered U.S. military forces to support an allied - airstrikes on Libya. And there's a quote from Politico from you at that time, 2011, Senator. You said then, I kind of like following the Constitution. It is Congress' duty and responsibility to declare war. And I think at a minimum, the administration should've come to Congress to get approval. Do you still think that?
JOHNSON: Well, again, we didn't hold any votes at that point in time...
INSKEEP: Yeah.
JOHNSON: ...Because, you know, at the same time, you know, I believe the commander in chief is exactly that. And you - it's just simply unworkable to have 535 members as commander in chiefs. It simply will not work. Our founders understood that. And in the end, you know, President Obama, he conducted a how many month war? And I don't believe Tim Kaine or any other Democrat offered a war resolution to that war either.
INSKEEP: But you said they should have.
JOHNSON: So this is the way it's been, OK? This is the way it's been for - ever since World War II, the last time we actually declared war. Again, this is the way things are.
INSKEEP: Well, let me just push on that just a little bit because in the past, more recently than World War II also, leaders in both parties have thought it was a good idea for Congress to have some kind of affirmative vote, that you go on the record to show the country is behind this, to show that you're behind it - to commit to it, to take responsibility and that that also builds political support in a republic. It would be a risk for you to vote. But do you think it would be your responsibility to vote affirmatively for this action if you think it's good?
JOHNSON: I think the primary restraint on any president of United States is public opinion. What you don't want to do in a terribly divided Congress is hold a vote that shows us divided. That would not be good in a war effort. It would not be good for our troops. It would not be good for, you know, success in the operations. So we're...
INSKEEP: Did it with the Iraq war, both Iraq wars.
JOHNSON: Well, there was overwhelming support for those. Probably shouldn't have gone to war at that point in time, but...
INSKEEP: Are you saying we should avoid a vote because the country is not behind the war?
JOHNSON: What I'm saying is, right now, somebody's got to make the decision. That's the commander in chief. That's what President Trump has done. I support his decision. At some point in time, it was going to be too late. And by the way, they declared war on us. For 47 years they've been at war with us. Now, they don't have the capabilities, thank God, of wiping us out. They have blood of Americans on their hands. At some point in time, we were going to have to end this war with Iran. And that's hopefully what's going to happen here. This is the greatest opportunity since I've been alive of just changing the geopolitics of the world, security of the world for the better. And I support President Trump's effort.
INSKEEP: Got it. One other aspect of this to get into. The Wall Street Journal is quoting a congressional source giving a ballpark estimate of the cost of this war. And the ballpark estimate is $1 billion a day. We don't know. It could be a lot more than that. Could be a little less, I don't know. But it's going to be a lot of money, surely billions and billions of dollars. How do you feel about the United States borrowing every single dollar of that, and again, without any congressional authorization?
JOHNSON: Well, the top priority of the federal government is defense of this nation. And I think this war against Iran is in defense of this nation. So that's money well spent. Now, there's - we're spending $7.4 trillion this year. We're spending a lot of money on things we shouldn't be spending. But what we need to spend money on is on defense and homeland security, which, by the way, Democrats aren't funding it. At a moment of peril for this country, for the homeland, they won't even fund Department of Homeland Security.
INSKEEP: Would you want a congressional vote to find some reliable way to finance this?
JOHNSON: I'm sure it'll come. There will, I'm sure, be a vote for supplemental funding for this. And that's something I'll support because, again, this is a possible historic opportunity here. And I support President Trump's action.
INSKEEP: Ron Johnson is the senior senator from the state of Wisconsin. Senator Johnson it's always a pleasure talking with you. Thank you so much.
JOHNSON: Have a good day.
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