WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after President Trump announced that he would unilaterally withdraw the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran deal is a dangerous mistake that will do grave damage to our global standing and our efforts to stop a nuclear Iran. The president calls himself a dealmaker – but on one of the most consequential decisions of his presidency, all President Trump has shown is that he can tear up a good deal without any backup plan or feasible path to a better deal. With this chaotic and dangerous approach to international relations, President Trump is squandering decades of American credibility and making our nation, and the world, less safe.
“No deal is perfect, but as our allies agree, the Iran agreement represents the best option to limit Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons and ensure permanent monitoring of Iran’s nuclear activities without the terrible costs of yet another unpredictable war. The agreement relies on strict international inspections and tough, verifiable standards. International inspectors, the U.S. intelligence community, our closest allies, and even President Trump’s own administration officials have determined that Iran is in full compliance with the agreement. But President Trump isn’t listening – he’s only listening to the most bellicose voices like Secretary Pompeo and National Security Advisor Bolton who have clamored for a disastrous conflict with Iran.
“The American people do not want to enter into another catastrophic and unnecessary war in the Middle East. But make no mistake: President Trump’s reckless decision today brings us closer to repeating the terrible errors of our past.”
