Pompeo savaged by Democrats on Capitol Hill over coronavirus, Iran
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo faced intense criticism Friday from Democrats on Capitol Hill, who questioned him on the Trump administration's response to the growing coronavirus threat, as well as the persistent threat from foes like Iran.
“I don't think you're telling us the truth,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, speaking specifically of last month’s killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, which the administration has struggled to justify.
Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., made a similar point about the administration’s coronavirus response, wondering how Americans could trust a president who has a long history of saying things that are demonstrably untrue.
“This impacts everyone in America,” he said of the growing epidemiological crisis. “And it’s more important than politics. ... The administration must do better.”
The comments were made at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee titled “Evaluating the Trump Administration’s Policies on Iran, Iraq and the Use of Force.”
Pompeo sat with lips pursed for much of the hearing, though his responses sometimes showed signs of irritation. Republicans did what they could to rescue him from the two-hour Democratic onslaught.
“This is exhausting,” complained Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., calling the hearing a “multimedia dog-and-pony show.” Rep. Ron Wright, R-Texas, offered that “Ringling Bros. has nothing on this committee,” referencing the classic circus troupe.
“Rarely have I seen adults behave in such a despicable and rude manner as they have today,” Wright added, accusing Democrats of deploying “bullying tactics” against Pompeo.
Pompeo has long been a nemesis of Democrats, in part because of his role in the Benghazi hearings that targeted Hillary Clinton, who served as Barack Obama’s secretary of state. More recently, Pompeo was seen by some as defending President Trump, not his own diplomatic corps, during the Ukraine impeachment inquiry.
As such, the former Kansas congressman could have expected a tough morning on Capitol Hill. And that was precisely what he got.
“Americans are terrified; I’m terrified about the coronavirus,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., his voice rising. He then proceeded to ask if funds should be diverted from building a barrier on the border with Mexico to combating the virus, which is widely seen as approaching epidemic levels.
Pompeo steadfastly refused to answer the question, while Espaillat resorted to shouting that he wanted a “yes or no” response. He never got one.
Nor did Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., who wanted to know how Iran, which has little reason for restraint in the wake of the Soleimani killing, will be prevented from developing nuclear weapons.
“We’ll stop them,” he said, appearing to add that he could give a greater explanation in a classified setting.
Titus cut him off. “You’re making fun of my question.” She compared his response to “a bumper sticker.”
Pompeo was similarly reticent when asked by Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., about deep cuts in public health programs in the proposed State Department budget.
“We’ll have plenty of money,” Pompeo answered.
Democrats were especially incensed that Pompeo would give them only two hours at a time when the United States seems to be facing a number of crises at home and abroad. That is because, later Friday morning, Pompeo was scheduled to speak to the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual grassroots gathering held in National Harbor, Md.
Vice President Mike Pence, who on Wednesday was named the head of the White House coronavirus efforts, spoke at CPAC on Thursday. President Trump will address the conference on Saturday afternoon.
At one point, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif, confronted Pompeo with a statement that acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney made earlier that morning at CPAC. Mulvaney called the coronavirus “the hoax of the day,” one that in his view was being deployed to harm the president’s reelection chances.
Lieu asked Pompeo if he agreed with that assertion.
Pompeo declined to say that the coronavirus was not a hoax. “I’m not gonna comment on what others are saying,” he retorted to persistent questioning from Lieu, saying only that the State Department was doing everything in its power to protect Americans.
Lieu then reframed the question.
“Do you believe,” he asked, “the coronavirus is a hoax?”
“We’re working to keep people safe,” Pompeo said tersely, pointedly refusing to directly address Mulvaney’s unsupported assertions. Similar charges have been made by some members of the conservative media, including radio host Rush Limbaugh, who recently received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Iran, which had been the putative topic of the hearing, was not much safer terrain for Pompeo. In her questioning of the secretary, former CIA officer Rep. Abigail Spanberger confronted Pompeo with his earlier assertions about “imminent threats” to American interests from Iran, which the administration said necessitated killing Soleimani.
Spanberger pointed out — accurately — that Tehran simply replaced Soleimani with his own deputy, and that far from cowering in the face of an American military threat, Iranian forces attacked a U.S. base in Iraq, causing brain injuries to more than 100 service members.
“You said there were imminent threats to American lives,” Spanberger said, “and that’s not true,” arguing like many Democrats that the greater threat came from killing Soleimani.
Some minutes later, Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., tried to defend Pompeo by asking Democrats on the committee if any of them would go on the record as saying they wish “Soleimani was still alive.”
None did, of course.
“Shame on you for asking that question,” Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., said. Cicilline and Mast then proceeded to talk over each other, over the ineffectual banging of a gavel.
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