FLASHBACK: Nancy Pelosi defended Obama’s Libya strikes with out Congress approval

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A clip of former U.S. Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has resurfaced online the place she flatly defended the then-Obama administration’s determination to strike Libya — with out the congressional authorization she believes President Donald Trump ought to have secured earlier than conducting his personal strikes over the weekend.

"You’re saying that the president didn't want authorization initially and nonetheless doesn't want any authorization from Congress on Libya?" a reporter requested Pelosi at a press occasion again in 2011.

"Sure," Pelosi answered plainly.

The unambiguous reply contrasts sharply with Pelosi’s view of Trump’s strikes against Iran on Saturday.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks on the 2026 California Democratic Social gathering State Conference in San Francisco, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photograph/Jeff Chiu)

In a joint effort concentrating on Iranian military leadership , the U.S. and Israel killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, citing an crucial to halt Iran’s pursuit of growing a nuclear weapon.

Pelosi swiftly condemned the operation.

"President Trump’s determination to provoke army hostilities into Iran begins one other pointless struggle which endangers our servicemembers and destabilizes an already fragile area," Pelosi said in a post to X.

"The Structure is evident: selections that lead our nation into struggle have to be licensed by Congress."

Pelosi, alongside different Democrats, is pursuing a struggle powers decision that will restrict Trump from taking additional army motion towards Iran with out specific congressional approval.

Trump’s strikes bear similarity to President Barack Obama’s decision to strike Libya in 2011 beneath Operation Odyssey Daybreak.

In that operation, Obama ordered a sequence of strikes towards Libya in March 2011, seeking to deter Muammar Gaddafi from attacking civilian protesters.

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Sept. 14, 2012: President Barack Obama, accompanied by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaks throughout a Switch of Stays Ceremony, at Andrews Air Power Base, Md. (AP)

Gaddafi, generally known as the "Mad Canine of the Center East," was the ruler of Libya from 1969 to 2011. He had a protracted and sophisticated relationship with the U.S. — at instances aligning with nationwide goals and, at others, governing in a way the U.S. couldn’t ignore.

The ultimate straw got here within the Libyan revolt of 2011, when demonstrations broke out in Benghazi and different cities. Like latest uprisings in Iran, Gaddafi met the risk to his rule with crushing drive, marching his forces towards a number of Libyan cities that had resisted his energy.

In what he described as makes an attempt to uphold worldwide regulation, Obama mentioned the U.S., in partnership with the North Atlantic Treaty Group (NATO), had taken the strikes to protect Libya’s civilians to guard Libya’s civilians.

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"We struck regime forces approaching Benghazi to save lots of that metropolis and the individuals inside it," Obama mentioned in remarks after the assaults.

The strikes didn't kill Gaddafi.

Gaddafi was killed later that yr by the hands of revolutionaries in October.

<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2018/09/1200/675/c51e4252-Qaddafi-FNL.jpg?ve=1&tl=1" alt="FILE - In this March 2, 2011 file photo, Libyan Leader Moammar Gadhafi gestures to supporters as he speaks in Tripoli, Libya. As rebels swarmed into Tripoli late Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011, and Gadhafi's son and one-time heir apparent Seif al-Islam was arrested, Gadhafi's rule was all but over, even though some loyalists continued to resist. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)" width="1200" height="675"/> Libyan Chief Moammar Gadhafi gestures to supporters as he speaks in Tripoli, Libya. As rebels swarmed into Tripoli late Sunday, Aug. 21, 2011. (Related Press)

Whereas Obama mentioned he had consulted a bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers, he did not pursue a declaration of war earlier than finishing up his strikes.

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"So, for individuals who doubted our capability to hold out this operation, I need to be clear: The US of America has finished what we mentioned we'd do," Obama mentioned.

Pelosi’s workplace didn't reply to a request for touch upon whether or not she noticed any key variations between the assaults carried out by Obama and people now ordered by Trump.

Associated Article Leo Briceno is a politics reporter for the congressional workforce at Fox Information Digital. He was beforehand a reporter with World Journal.