Democratic senators are putting a spotlight on President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, over the tragic bombing of a girls’ school in Minab, Iran.
The strike, which killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers, was likely caused by outdated government intelligence.
Rescue workers and residents search through the rubble in the aftermath of a U.S. strike on a girls' school in Minab, Iran, on Feb. 28.
“There must be a swift investigation into the strikes on this school and any other potential U.S. military actions causing civilian harm,” read a letter sent to Hegseth that was signed by every Democratic senator. “The findings must be released to the public as soon as possible, along with any measures to pursue accountability.”
“A couple of years ago, I worked alongside my colleagues to pass into law something called the Civilian Protection Center,” Democratic Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey told CNN Thursday, blaming Trump’s gutting of the bipartisan program created to reduce the risk of civilian casualties. “This fault lies directly on President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.”
Similarly, Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York drew more attention to the bombing during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday, calling for a serious investigation into the largest civilian casualty event in recent U.S. history.
“Just to clarify for your benefit, Senator Gillibrand,” GOP Chair Roger Wicker said. “You did not mean to say that we had targeted a school.”
“That a missile hit a school,” Gillibrand replied.
“No, but it's the word ‘targeting’ that you did not mean,” Wicker responded.
“How we chose a target that turned out to be a school,” Gillibrand said. “But the fact that it is chosen as a target, I'd like to know, and I hope that we can have an open hearing on this, Mr. Chairman.”
Attempts to feign ignorance—or to parse semantics about the word “targeting”—aren’t going to change the heinousness of what happened: The Trump administration bombed an elementary school.
