'Disturbed' lawmaker warns 'imminent strike' on the table that could lead to mass death

President Donald Trump is prepared to do something reckless in his Iran conflict that will get large numbers of people hurt or killed, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) warned CNN's Erin Burnett on Thursday evening.

This comes hours after after Blumenthal clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a congressional hearing on the matter.

"We just watched you in that heated exchange earlier, Senator," said Burnett. "So among the military options, the president was just reportedly briefed on, as we understand. And you heard ... reporting the Defense secretary [and] Marco Rubio, are still there. But we understand it was a series of short and powerful strikes against Iran, among other things, as well as taking perhaps part of the Strait of Hormuz and something that could involve U.S. ground troops. Do you believe that there's a coherent strategy here at this point, when you hear about options like that being presented to the president tonight?"

"Erin, there really is no coherent strategy, which came across very vividly and graphically in the hearing today with Secretary Hegseth," said Blumenthal. "And it comes across in the president's comments, which oscillate between seeming open to negotiation and then foreclosing it entirely and threatening destruction of civilizations."

"I do have the impression, from some of the briefings that I have received, as well as other sources, that an imminent military strike is very much on the table, which is deeply disturbing because it could well involve American sons and daughters in harm's way and potential massive casualties," Blumenthal continued. "But what you saw, even from the brief clips that you played, was Secretary Hegseth essentially dissembling and evading pointed questions on the draining of munitions, on the cost of the war, as well as on this. Absolutely incredible and absurd theory about a pause in the 60 days, which is an absolutely ridiculous interpretation of the law."

"But bottom line here, no strategy," he added. "And the conflicting and contradictory objectives stated by the president have not been accomplished. None of them really either. As to the enriched uranium or the change of regime, or even as to the missile and drone production."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com