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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 2 February 2017
Trump to Senate: Scrap rules if needed to confirm Gorsuch

ERICA WERNER tense opposition from base
MARK SHERMAN voters to Trump’s nomi-
Associated Press nee, while political risks
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- confronted a half-dozen
dent Donald Trump urged Democratic senators rep-
the Senate’s Republican resenting red states who
leader on Wednesday to are up for re-election next
resort to the “nuclear op- year and may feel pressure
tion” of scrapping long- to support Gorsuch.
standing chamber rules “The president made an
if needed to confirm Su- outstanding appointment;
preme Court nominee Neil we’re all thrilled and look-
Gorsuch, an aggressive ing forward to getting
opening to what’s shap- the confirmation process
ing up as a ferocious clash started,” McConnell said
over the future of the high as he stood with a smiling
court. Gorsuch in the senator’s
At the White House a day ceremonial office in the
after nominating Gorsuch, Capitol.
Trump endorsed a scenar- McConnell has not said
io that would involve ma- whether he might invoke
jority Republicans unilater- the nuclear option if mi-
ally changing Senate rules President Donald Trump applauds as he stands with Judge Neil Gorsuch in East Room of the White nority Democrats block
over the objections of the House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, after announcing Gorsuch as his nominee for the Gorsuch’s confirmation,
Supreme Court.
Democratic minority. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) but the Senate leader has
It could come into play said repeatedly that, one
if Democrats try to block the 60 votes now needed. nuclear.’” He said of Gor- tol Hill, escorted by Vice way or another, Gorsuch
Gorsuch’s confirmation Addressing GOP Senate such that it “would be a President Mike Pence and will be confirmed. He re-
with a filibuster, as the lib- leader Mitch McConnell absolute shame if a man of winning extravagant praise iterated that Wednesday
eral base is demanding, from the White House, this quality was caught up from Republican senators. evening in an interview on
and would allow the GOP Trump said, “If we end up in the web.” Democratic divisions were WHAS radio in Kentucky,
to confirm Gorsuch with a with that gridlock I would Trump made his comments on display. Minority Leader saying: “Well I appreciate
simple majority instead of say, ‘If you can, Mitch, go as Gorsuch traversed Capi- Chuck Schumer faced in- the president’s advice. q

US puts Iran ‘on notice’ after missile test, won’t elaborate

Continued from front cessful missile strike against test, but did not say when
a warship belonging to a the test was carried out or
He accused Iran of Saudi-led coalition fighting specify the type of missile.
threatening U.S. allies to reinstall Yemen’s interna- He insisted it wasn’t a viola-
and spreading instability tionally recognized govern- tion of U.N. resolutions.
throughout the Middle East ment. The media arm of the The U.S. said the test was
while faulting the Obama Shiite rebels said the vessel of a medium-range bal-
administration for doing was believed to belong to listic missile. It ended with
too little to stop the Islamic the Saudi Arabian navy. a “failed” re-entry into the
Republic. Administration officials said Earth’s atmosphere, said
“As of today, we are of- Iran was providing key sup- a U.S. defense official, who
ficially putting Iran on no- port by arming, training wasn’t authorized to dis-
tice,” Flynn said from the and financing the rebels, cuss the matter publicly
White House podium. with a goal of leverag- and spoke on condition of
On notice for what, Flynn ing its relationship with the anonymity. Reports of the
didn’t say. Senior Trump President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a ceremony marking Houthis to “build a long- test emerged after Trump
administration officials said National Space Technology Day in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, term presence in Yemen.” signed an executive order
they were actively con- Feb. 1, 2017. The White House issued a cryptic warning Wednes- The White House said the last week temporarily sus-
sidering a “range of op- day that the U.S. will act against Iran unless it stops testing bal- goal in putting Iran “on no- pending immigration from
listic missiles and supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen.
tions” including economic (Iranian Presidency Office via AP) tice” was to signal to Teh- Iran and six other majority-
measures and increased ran that it needed to re- Muslim countries.
support for Iran’s regional think its behavior. Flynn said On one point, the U.S. and
adversaries. The officials, allegations were unrelated “The Obama administra- Iran specifically violated Iran agree: The test didn’t
who briefed reporters on to Iran’s obligations under tion failed to respond ad- the U.N.’s ban on “activity violate the nuclear deal it-
condition of anonymity, the Iran nuclear deal that equately to Tehran’s ma- related to ballistic missiles self. Ballistic missile testing
declined repeatedly to say President Barack Obama lign actions — including designed to be capable of wasn’t explicitly included
whether military action and world leaders negoti- weapons transfers, sup- delivering nuclear weap- in the 2015 nuclear agree-
was being considered. ated. Though Flynn noted port for terrorism and other ons, including launches ment between Iran and six
The warning was an early Trump has criticized that violations of international using such ballistic missile world powers. But as part of
manifestation of Trump’s deal, officials declined norms,” Flynn said. technology.” the final negotiations, Iran
promise of a tougher to say whether Trump The White House also fault- Iran’s Defense Minister Gen. agreed to an eight-year
American approach to planned to follow through ed Iran for backing Houthi Hossein Dehghan con- extension of a U.N. ban on
Iran. Yet administration offi- on his campaign pledge to rebels in Yemen who on firmed Wednesday that ballistic missile develop-
cials emphasized that their renegotiate it. Tuesday claimed a suc- Iran conducted a missile ment. q