Shouting and sniping as Pompeo defends Trump’s Iran and Iraq policy

“Reclaiming my time,” was the most frequently heard phrase of the morning. Democrats used it vigorously to limit Pompeo’s opportunities to talk at length, which they argued the secretary, a former three-term House lawmaker from Kansas, did not deserve since he was not using the time to answer direct questions. “This hearing has been a joke. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle are choosing to answer the question for you. Or if you attempt to answer, they cut you off to reclaim their time,” said Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y. “You’re doing a great job. I’m proud to have you as Secretary of State.”

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s appearance before Congress was quite heated and combative, with House Democrats frequently raising their voices to sharply rebuke the secretary, who categorically rejected all of their criticisms on the administration’s Iran policy and on its handling of the growing worldwide coronavirus outbreak. The House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing was nominally about the administration’s policy toward Iran and Iraq and its use of war powers. But Democrats used a good portion of their questioning time to ask about the administration’s response to coronavirus.

Noting that Pompeo had managed to carve out time in his schedule to speak Feb. 28, 2020 at noon at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., questioned the secretary why he couldn’t find more than two hours to testify before the committee. “You, sir, represent all Americans, not a special interest group. It is shameful you can’t answer basic questions,” Lieu said, after Pompeo declined to answer questions on whether he disagreed with acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney’s recent comments.