Latest news with #DavidKustoff
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran strikes draw reactions from Mid-South leaders
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Political leaders who represent the Mid-South are responding after President Donald Trump announced the bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran. On Saturday evening, Trump announced that the United States had completed a 'very successful attack' on the Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites in Iran. Trump claimed that a 'payload of bombs' was dropped on Fordow. US bombs three Iran nuclear sites, entering war Soon after the announcement, leaders from the Mid-South began releasing statements on the attack. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee called the move a 'courageous decision to seek peace through strength.' '@MariaLeeTN and I pray earnestly for the safety of our troops across the Middle East and for the sovereignty of Israel,' Lee posted on X. Congressman David Kustoff celebrated the strike, saying in part, 'This victory was executed with precision by our great U.S. military.' Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn said that the attack is a 'victory for the United States' and that Trump 'knows peace can only be achieved through strength.' Tennessee State Senator London Lamar disagreed with the attack, citing the 'lack of congressional authorization at the time of the strike.' Lamar released a lengthy statement on Saturday. I am deeply alarmed by the U.S. decision to bomb Iran's nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan on today. President Trump described the strikes as 'very successful,' conducted by B‑2 stealth bombers . While the military objective was to disrupt Iran's nuclear capabilities, this action marks a dangerous escalation: the United States has now entered a war that was previously between Israel and Iran . I am profoundly concerned about the lack of congressional authorization at the time of the strike—raising serious constitutional and democratic questions . Beyond the legal issues, this military strike risks triggering a broader regional conflict. Iran is already signaling retaliatory measures, and key international actors have warned that further escalation could be catastrophic. I urge our leaders to pursue immediate diplomatic channels, work through international institutions, and seek de-escalation to prevent this from spiraling into a full-scale war. Military action should be a last resort—not a first. Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker supported the decision. 'Our commander-in-chief has made a deliberate —and correct— decision to eliminate the existential threat posed by the Iranian regime,' Wicker posted on X. 'We now have very serious choices ahead to provide security for our citizens and our allies and stability for the Middle East.' Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton stated that Iran 'has waged a war of terror against the United States for 46 years' and urged that 'We could never allow Iran to get nuclear weapons.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump supporters divided over use of ‘bunker buster' in Iran
A massive bomb known as a 'bunker buster' — and the ability to deliver it — is at the center of the Republican divide over direct U.S. involvement in striking Iran. Supporters of U.S. involvement point to Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility, warning that the U.S. cannot allow the uranium-enrichment facility to stay intact, absent a deal that would ensure Iran could never develop a nuclear weapon. But Israel, which launched a military campaign against Iran on Thursday, is limited in its ability to go after Fordow alone, and the U.S. has the unique capabilities to most effectively target it — capabilities that Israel does not have. The latest and biggest 30,000-pound GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb, or 'bunker buster,' would be most capable of reaching the nuclear site, which is believed to sit 80 meters below ground. And while Israel has smaller bunker busters that it can deploy, only American B-2 Spirit stealth bomber planes have been configured to lift and deliver such a large weapon. To ensure the latest conflict ends with Iran's nuclear capabilities getting wiped out, some Republicans argue the U.S. needs to step in with the bombers and bunker busters and target the Fordow site if other options are exhausted. 'If President Trump does not believe that negotiations are going to be fruitful, then we either have to fly that B-2 bomber or we've got to give the Israelis the ability to fly the B-2 bomber and drop these bombs,' Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), one of the few Jewish Republicans in Congress, said Tuesday on CNN. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) said Tuesday morning on Fox News that Trump would 'absolutely' have his support to use the B-2 bomber to take out the Fordow facility if talks failed. Trump and his administration initially distanced the U.S. from Israel's strikes on Iran, saying they provided only defensive support. But now, the possibility of targeting Fordow has moved from being a suggestion to a live question. The New York Times and Axios reported Tuesday that Trump is seriously considering trying to take out the Fordow nuclear site. Some of Trump's most ardent supporters, though, are warning against getting directly involved in the conflict at all. The worst-case scenario to them is a repeat of past U.S. posture in neighboring Iraq, where U.S.-driven regime change spurred by concerns over weapons of mass destruction turned into a failed nation-building exercise that thrust the region into a period of instability, giving rise to terrorist groups like the Islamic State group, commonly known as ISIS. Asked about the arguments that the U.S. should use its capabilities to bomb the Fordow site, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — who has been one of the loudest Republican voices advocating against U.S. involvement in Iran — reiterated her position. 'My office has been monitoring calls from constituents in my district and they overwhelmingly support my stance on staying out of this conflict and foreign wars,' Greene said in a statement. 'Getting involved in another conflict won't bring down gas prices, lower grocery bills, or make rent more affordable. Me and my district support President Trump and his MAGA agenda, it's what we voted for in November, and foreign wars weren't a part of it.' Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a major figure in MAGA World who is close with Trump, was more explicit in his warning. 'America bombing Iran would be a direct escalation. Now, it would not be the same as bombing their oil fields, or even bombing the supreme leader. The most basic action would be, drop a bunker buster on their underground nuclear plant — and some claim that's the only thing we have to do,' Kirk said. 'I'll say this to anyone that will listen: It's very hard to stop a war when you want, and it's hard to stop a war once you're in the midst of a war,' Kirk said. 'If we were to bomb Fordow, Iran would likely and probably consider this to be an act of war. Would they respond and try to target U.S. bases? Would they try and target U.S. troops? Would they activate sleeper cells within the interior of the United States?' Fueling the fears of the MAGA doves, some more hawkish Republicans have broached the subject of regime change — taking out Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — while talking about the prospect of assisting Israel in bombing Iran. 'Be all-in, President Trump, in helping Israel eliminate the nuclear threat. If we need to provide bombs to Israel, provide bombs. If we need to fly planes with Israel, do joint operations,' Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Monday on Fox News. 'But here's the bigger question: Wouldn't the world be better off if the ayatollahs went away, and replaced by something better?' 'It's time to close that chapter soon, and start a new chapter in the Middle East, one of tolerance, hope, and peace,' Graham said. Kirk slammed Graham on his radio show on Tuesday: 'That's pathologically insane, I'm sorry. It is. How do you know it's going to be better?' Trump, for his part, has reiterated his stance that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon — saying the regime should strike a deal, but not taking U.S. military action off the table. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said that 'we know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding' — but that 'we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.' He followed up in another post: 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump supporters divided over use of ‘bunker-buster' bomb in Iran
A massive 'bunker buster' bomb — and the ability to deliver it — is at the center of the Republican divide over direct U.S. involvement in striking Iran. Supporters of U.S. involvement point to Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility, warning that the U.S. cannot allow the uranium-enrichment facility to stay intact, absent a deal that would ensure Iran could never develop a nuclear weapon. But Israel, which launched a campaign against Iran on Thursday, is limited in its ability to go after Fordow alone, and the U.S. has the unique capabilities to most effectively target it — capabilities that Israel does not have. The latest and biggest 30,000-pound GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb, known as a 'bunker-buster,' would be most capable of reaching the nuclear site, which is believed to sit 80 meters below ground. And while Israel has smaller 'bunker-buster' weapons that it can deploy, only American B-2 Spirit stealth bomber planes have been configured to lift and deliver such a large weapon. To ensure the latest conflict ends with Iran's nuclear capabilities getting wiped out, some Republicans argue, the U.S. needs to step in with the bombers and bunker busters and target the Fordow site if other options are exhausted. 'If President Trump does not believe that negotiations are going to be fruitful, then we either have to fly that B-2 bomber or we've got to give the Israelis the ability to fly the B-2 bomber and drop these bombs,' Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), one of the few Jewish Republicans in Congress, said on CNN on Tuesday. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) said on Fox News Tuesday morning that Trump would 'absolutely' have his support to use the B-2 bomber to take out the Fordow facility if talks failed. Trump and his administration initially distanced the U.S. from Israel's strikes on Iran, saying they provided only defensive support. But now, the possibility of targeting Fordow has moved from being a suggestion to a live question. The New York Times and Axios reported Tuesday that Trump is seriously considering trying to take out the Fordow nuclear site. Some of Trump's most ardent supporters, though, are warning against getting directly involved in the conflict at all. The worst-case scenario to them is a repeat of past U.S. posture in neighboring Iraq, where U.S.-driven regime change spurred by concerns over weapons of mass destruction turned into a failed nation-building exercise that thrust the region into a period of instability, giving rise to terrorist groups like ISIS. Asked about the arguments that the U.S. should use its capabilities to bomb the Fordow site, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) — who has been one of the loudest Republican voices advocating against U.S. involvement in Iran — reiterated her position. 'My office has been monitoring calls from constituents in my district and they overwhelmingly support my stance on staying out of this conflict and foreign wars,' Greene said in a statement. 'Getting involved in another conflict won't bring down gas prices, lower grocery bills, or make rent more affordable. Me and my district support President Trump and his MAGA agenda, it's what we voted for in November, and foreign wars weren't a part of it.' Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a major figure in MAGA world who is close with Trump, was more explicit in his warning. 'America bombing Iran would be a direct escalation. Now, it would not be the same as bombing their oil fields, or even bombing the Supreme Leader. The most basic action would be, drop a bunker-buster on their underground nuclear plant — and some claim that's the only thing we have to do,' Kirk said. 'I'll say this to anyone that will listen: It's very hard to stop a war when you want, and it's hard to stop a war once you're in the midst of a war,' Kirk said, adding: 'If we were to bomb Fordow, Iran would likely and probably consider this to be an act of war. Would they respond and try to target US bases? Would they try and target US troops? Would they activate sleeper cells within the interior of the United States?' Fueling the fears of the MAGA doves, some more hawkish Republicans have broached the subject of regime change — taking out Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — while talking about the prospect of assisting Israel in bombing Iran. 'Be all-in, President Trump, in helping Israel eliminate the nuclear threat. If we need to provide bombs to Israel, provide bombs. If we need to fly planes with Israel, do joint operations,' Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Fox News Monday night. 'But here's the bigger question: Wouldn't the world be better off if the Ayatollahs went away, and replaced by something better?' 'It's time to close that chapter soon, and start a new chapter in the Middle East, one of tolerance, hope, and peace,' Graham said. Kirk slammed Graham on his radio show on Tuesday: 'That's pathologically insane, I'm sorry. It is. How do you know it's going to be better?' Trump, for his part, has reiterated his stance that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon — saying the regime should strike a deal, but not taking U.S. military action off the table. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said that 'we know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding' — but that 'we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.' He followed up in another post: 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Legislation could help speed air cargo shipments
WASHINGTON — Legislation introduced in the House and Senate could help speed air cargo shipments through the supply chain by using a new funding incentive for surface transportation projects. The Don't Miss Your Flight Act, introduced last week in the House by U.S. Reps. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. and David Kustoff, R-Tenn. and in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., would use existing federal funding to create an incentive for surface transportation projects at and within five miles of a public airport. 'We've all been there – you're rushing to the airport but then get stuck in traffic outside while worrying that your flight is going to take off without you,' Duckworth said in a press statement. 'Airports like Chicago O'Hare and so many others are building to keep up with the growing passenger demand, but our surface transportation leading into and out of our airports needs to keep pace.' In addition to passenger benefits, Kustoff emphasized benefits to cargo shipments as well.'It is imperative that shipments can get in and out of Memphis quickly and effectively,' he said. 'The Don't Miss Your Flight Act is critical legislation that will ensure federal funding is used to modify surface transportation around our nation's busiest airports.' Cohen added that as the nation's busiest cargo airport, Memphis International Airport 'is at the confluence of river, rail and highway circuits we call 'America's Distribution Center',' he said. 'Updates to the ground infrastructure in Memphis and around the country through grants authorized under the Don't Miss Your Flight Act will modernize and improve the air traveler's experience.' Memphis International Airport is the third busiest cargo airport in the world, behind airports in Hong Kong and Shanghai, according to the latest ranking by Airports Council International. FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), headquartered in Memphis, is the airport's largest cargo operator, operating approximately 400 flights per day, according to the airport. The bill's language states that a project eligible for grant funds under the legislation is a project that:Connects to a public airport. Makes improvements on land that is on or within five miles of that public airport. Reduces congestion, expands capacity, provides access to under-connected areas, or rehabilitates roadway, rail, or transit infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, and rolling stock. Airlines lower air cargo forecast amid escalating trade war FedEx converts parcel freighter to heavy cargo operation Just steal it: Why carriers avoid Memphis Click for more FreightWaves articles by John Gallagher. The post Legislation could help speed air cargo shipments appeared first on FreightWaves.
Fox News
29-05-2025
- General
- Fox News
Jewish Republican lawmaker talks antisemitism in America after deadly DC shooting
The deadly shooting outside Washington, D.C.'s Capital Jewish Museum has added to an ongoing conversation about antisemitism after Hamas' brutal Oct. 7 massacre. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were killed when leaving an event at the museum hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC). The suspected shooter, Elias Rodriguez, has since been charged with their murders. Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tenn., is one of only four Jewish Republicans serving in Congress, placing him in a unique position when it comes to assessing antisemitism in America and how it has been politicized. "We know that antisemitism has been around for a very long time, and obviously, after October 7, 2023, it came to the forefront. It came out as strongly as it did, in part because colleges and universities allowed some pro-Palestinian and frankly some pro-Hamas protesters to preach hate and antisemitism—and they didn't do anything to stop it," Kustoff told Fox News Digital. The Tennessee congressman condemned the shooting in D.C., calling it "a horrific act of antisemitic terrorism." "Antisemitic violence has no place in our society. We must remain united in calling out and confronting this rising tide of hate," Kustoff wrote in a post on X. Kustoff said that in his district, which he described as "strongly Republican, strongly pro-Trump," there aren't many Jewish people. In fact, according to World Population Review, just under 30,000 Jews live in Tennessee, which has more than 7.3 million residents. Despite the small Jewish population, Kustoff told Fox News Digital that people in his district are "very supportive of Israel, very supportive of the U.S.'s relationship with Israel, and they love the Jewish people." However, Kustoff also said that Jewish people in his district have "real concerns about going to synagogue." Jewish institutions and community centers have had "to go above and beyond" in terms of security, according to Kustoff. The congressman spoke about an incident in 2023 when a man opened fire outside the Margolin Hebrew Academy-Feinstone Yeshiva of the South. The suspect was later identified as Joel Alejandro Bowman, who faces several charges, including attempted second-degree murder. Kustoff sees the issue of combating antisemitism as one that has received bipartisan support in Congress. He praised Democrats like Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill. — who are Jewish — for their support of Israel and its relationship with the U.S., calling them "true leaders." Kustoff also noted that, while they are not Jewish, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., have been vocal about their support for Israel. While Kustoff praised colleagues on both sides of the aisle, he also criticized members of Congress who have made "incendiary" remarks about Israel, saying such rhetoric "in effect helps to breed antisemitism." Kustoff spoke to Fox News Digital shortly after a video of outspoken Israel critic Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., refusing to condemn the murders of Lischinsky and Milgrim went viral. When asked about the incident, Kustoff said that "We get asked easy questions and difficult questions all the time as members of Congress. That was clearly an easy question to answer, and her constituents can make their own decisions." As chairman of the House-Knesset Parliamentary Friendship Group, Kustoff has had a close-up view of U.S.-Israel relations. He recalled his July 2024 trip to Israel, where he toured the site of the Nova Music Festival and a kibbutz that was attacked on Oct. 7, and met with Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "[Netanyahu] told me that he knows that the American people are still very supportive of Israel and the Israeli people know that," Kustoff told Fox News Digital. "We talked about the instances on college campuses. In closing, his feeling was that a number of these students probably couldn't look at a map and know where Israel is located."
