Tensions flare during Iran briefing for members of Congress

Much of the frustration during the briefing for the House Armed Services Committee focused on the prospect of sending U.S. ground troops to Iran, sources said.

WASHINGTON — Tensions flared behind closed doors Wednesday as defense and intelligence officials briefed some lawmakers about the war in Iran, with Republicans and Democrats expressing frustration about a lack of clarity and information about President Donald Trump’s strategy, according to four congressional officials who attended the briefing and a lawmaker who was briefed on it later.

Much of the frustration during the briefing for the House Armed Services Committee centered on the prospect of the United States’ sending ground troops into Iran, the officials and lawmaker said, including what the troops could be used for and whether the U.S. can adequately protect them once they were deployed.

“There was no plan, no strategy, no end game shared, and they didn’t give any answers. It’s unclear if there isn’t a plan or if there is a plan and they wouldn’t share it with members,” one of the congressional officials said.

The briefing took place as the war nears the one-month mark and the Trump administration is both engaging in a diplomatic effort to try to end it and sending more troops to the Middle East while Trump weighs whether to deploy American forces on the ground inside Iran.

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