By Gloria Ogbonna
During Friday’s broadcast of “All In” on All In with Chris Hayes, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, made it clear that he strongly opposes any new funding request tied to the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Smith stated that he will not support a supplemental war appropriations bill, arguing that approving additional funds would only prolong and intensify a conflict he believes is already expanding dangerously across the Middle East.
During the interview, host Chris Hayes asked Smith about the potential financial cost to the U.S. government, noting that lawmakers are discussing a supplemental appropriations package to fund military operations related to the conflict.
Hayes asked directly whether Smith would support such a measure.
Smith responded emphatically that his answer is a firm “no.” He explained that he does not support the war itself and therefore refuses to approve additional funding that could sustain or escalate it. According to Smith, providing more money for military operations would essentially help keep the conflict going rather than pushing leaders to find ways to de-escalate and end the violence.
“I’m a hell no,” Smith said, stressing that continuing to fund the war would only perpetuate it. He argued that the priority should be bringing the fighting under control, halting the conflict, and reassessing the situation rather than expanding military spending.
Smith also voiced strong concerns about giving additional authority and resources to Donald Trump. He claimed that, based on what he described as Trump’s past record, providing the administration with more funding and power over military operations could lead to further misuse of authority.
Beyond the issue of funding, Smith warned that the situation in the region has already grown far larger than many people realize. He described the conflict as evolving into a full-scale Middle East war that now involves multiple countries and armed groups across the region.
According to Smith, the violence is no longer limited to a single front. Fighting between Israel and Lebanon has intensified, and he noted that Kurdish forces in northern areas have also been pulled into the conflict. He also referenced an attack in Erbil that resulted in the death of a French servicemember and injuries to several others, highlighting how international forces are increasingly being affected.
Smith said that at least 14 countries have now been drawn into the wider crisis, making the situation far more complex and dangerous than previous conflicts in the region, including the Iraq war.
To illustrate his concerns, Smith used a striking analogy, saying that Trump’s actions in the region resemble “a bull stumbling into the world’s largest and most densely packed china shop.” According to Smith, the consequences of those actions are spreading rapidly and causing widespread destruction, instability, and human suffering.
He argued that the expanding conflict is bringing enormous costs—both human and economic—including rising casualties, regional instability, and financial strain on governments involved in the crisis.
In Smith’s view, the growing toll of the conflict far outweighs any potential strategic benefits. Instead of increasing military funding, he believes U.S. leaders should focus on diplomacy, de-escalation, and preventing the war from spreading further.
Smith concluded that continuing to pour money into the war risks deepening the crisis rather than resolving it, warning that without a shift in strategy, the conflict could spiral even further out of control.
Source Breitbart
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