The White House blasted Sen. Ted Cruz, who spoke against the Iran nuclear deal Thursday, for holding what it calls a “pro-war rally” in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House.
“I was aware Sen. Cruz was planning to hold a pro-war rally,” Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at his daily briefing.
Cruz, a presidential candidate, joined Concerned Women for America, at the rally against the nuclear deal. Code Pink activists were also there supporting the deal, interrupting Cruz’s speech several times.
Earnest declined to comment on Cruz’s specific allegation that Iran will use money obtained from sanctions relief to “kill Americans.”
“If this deal goes through ...over $100 million will flow to Iran,” Cruz said. The money “will be used to fund jihadists who will murder Americans, murder Israelis, murder Europeans.”
So does the White House think everyone who opposes the Iran deal is in favor of war?
Maybe.
“I think that all opponents will have the opportunity to explain why they would oppose the best way for us to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and that is through diplomacy,” Earnest said. “They can all make their own individual case, but I think that Senator Cruz, again, he can speak for himself, but my understanding is that he has been sympathetic to this view, that the next president should be prepared to carry out a military strike against Iran on inauguration day.”
President Barack Obama has said that if the deal does not go through Iran would be able to produce a nuclear weapon. Opponents say Obama could have negotiated a better deal.
Anita Kumar: 202-383-6017, @anitakumar01