Rep Henry Cuellar says Trump ‘finally’ acted as 'Iran has been at war with the US for 47 years'

WASHINGTON, DC: Rep Henry Cuellar (D-TX) spoke about tensions between the United States and Iran during an appearance on Fox News’ ‘Saturday in America’.

Speaking on Saturday, the Texas Democrat said Iran has effectively been in conflict with the United States for nearly five decades and argued that the recent response from President Donald Trump was long overdue.

“For 47 years, Iran has been at war with the United States,” Cuellar said during the broadcast.

Henry Cuellar argues that action against Iran was long overdue

Cuellar explained that leaders from both political parties have recognized the threat posed by Iran for many years.

According to him, both Democratic and Republican presidents have been aware of the issue during their time in office. 

“For 47 years, Iran has been at war with the United States, both Democratic and Republican presidents have seen this over 47 years, but it was President Trump that decided to take action,” he said.

Henry Cuellar backs Trump’s decision to act against Iran

During the interview, Cuellar made it clear that he believes the US had strong reasons to respond. He pointed to attacks that have affected American soldiers and citizens over the years.

The congressman said the country should not ignore the lives that have been lost. “We can’t forget that the Iranians have killed American soldiers,” Cuellar said.

He also said Americans have faced threats beyond the battlefield.

“We cannot forget that they’ve targeted American citizens in our homeland,” he added.

For Cuellar, those actions are why the latest move by the US was necessary after years of tension.

Henry Cuellar says taking action against Iran was the 'right thing to do'

Cuellar described the response as something that had been building for decades. In his view, the United States had been dealing with hostility from Iran for many years without taking a decisive step.

He said the recent move finally addressed the issue.

“And, finally, we took some action, and it’s the right thing to do,” Cuellar said.

The Texas lawmaker’s comments stood out because he is a Democrat supporting a move taken by a Republican president.

But during the interview, Cuellar focused more on the long history of conflict rather than partisan politics.

For him, the situation is about national security and a decades-long struggle between the two countries.

“And, finally, we took some action, and it’s the right thing to do,” he repeated.