Congress splits on Trump’s Iran strikes
The article reports that Congress is divided over the United States–Israel strikes on Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, with reactions split largely along party lines and concerns about the war’s legality and potential for broader conflict.
– What happened: The white house announced joint strikes against Iran, described as preemptive, and briefed top congressional leaders (the Gang of Eight) with most members informed shortly before the operation began.The move raises questions about the proper authorization and checks on presidential military action.
– Democratic response: Democrats broadly criticized or hedged about the strikes. House and Senate leaders demanded a clear legal justification and congressional briefing, warning against an unchecked expansion of war powers. Progressive members urged a vote on the War Powers Act and criticized the action as possibly reckless. Some Democrats, like Senator John Fetterman, praised the strikes as a firm stance against Iran, while others warned of the risks of a new Middle East conflict.
– Republican response: Republican leaders generally supported the strikes, praising the administration for decisiveness and arguing that Iran’s behavior required a strong response. Nevertheless, a minority of Republicans opposed the action, calling for congressional debate and votes, and some voices outside Congress criticized the decision as unnecessary or harmful.
– Context and tone: The coverage frames the strikes as controversial and potentially destabilizing, with debates about legality, authorization, and the risk of broader regional conflict shaping the political response on Capitol Hill.
Congress splits on Trump’s Iran strikes
Congressional leaders on Saturday morning issued a range of reactions to the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, labeled “Operation Epic Fury” by the White House.
Reactions were largely split along party lines, with Democrats questioning the move as a potential abuse of President Donald Trump’s war powers, and Republicans backing the strikes as necessary to target an out-of-control regime hostile to the U.S.
The White House briefed the “Gang of Eight,” the top congressional leaders of both chambers and the intelligence committees, earlier this week and the night of the strikes. Seven of the eight members were informed shortly before strikes commenced, with one being unreachable at the time. The Department of War also provided notification to the Armed Services committees after strikes had taken place on Saturday morning.
US AND ISRAEL LAUNCH ‘PREEMPTIVE’ ATTACK AGAINST IRAN
What is Democratic leadership saying?
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) swiftly condemned the attacks, saying the president overstepped his power in authorizing the strikes without congressional sign-off.
“The Trump administration must explain itself to the American people and Congress immediately, provide an ironclad justification for this act of war, clearly define the national security objective, and articulate a plan to avoid another costly, prolonged military quagmire in the Middle East,” he wrote in a statement.
Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) aired concern that the strikes risked pulling the U.S. into “another broad conflict in the Middle East.” Warner said the White House’s move to issue strikes with formal authorization from Congress “raises serious legal and constitutional concerns.”
“Congress must be fully briefed, and the administration must come forward with a clear legal justification, a defined end state, and a plan that avoids dragging the United States into yet another costly and unnecessary war,” the Virginia Democrat said.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES ‘MASSIVE AND ONGOING OPERATION’ AGAINST IRAN
What are progressive members saying?
Progressive members of the Democratic caucus came out more forcefully against the White House’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury.
Sen. Ro Khanna (D-CA) issued a similar reaction. He said that the Trump administration launched an “illegal regime change war,” and called on Congress to hold a vote on the bipartisan War Powers Act, which would restrict the president. “Every member of Congress should go on record this weekend on how they will vote,” Khanna said.
“He doesn’t care about our loved ones in the military. He doesn’t care about the fact that Americans don’t want this war,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) wrote on X. “He doesn’t care about the Iranian people. He is corrupted. Don’t fall for the lies.” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) reposted Tlaib’s message.
Fetterman breaks ranks
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), known to often rebel against his caucus, praised the strikes. The senator has long pushed the White House to take a firmer line on Iran.
“Operation Epic Fury. President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region. God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel,” he said.
What is Republican leadership saying?
Republicans also cheered on the president, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) saying, “Well done.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said the Trump administration had “exhausted” every possibility to reach a diplomatic resolution to avert the strikes. He said the strikes came after Iran had for decades “defiantly maintained its nuclear program while arming and funding Hamas, Hezbollah, and other internationally recognized terrorist organizations.”
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, praised the president’s “decisive” action, arguing that “this is a pivotal and necessary operation to protect Americans and American interests.”
“Without the use of military force against them, Iran’s ayatollahs would simply continue to grow their ability to threaten Americans and our interests, working in concert with the Chinese Communist Party, the Russian dictator Putin, North Korea, and other terrorist allies,” Wicker said.
Graham said he is “confident” the strikes will hold a successful outcome and lead to the liberation of the Iranian people.
“From their liberation, the path toward peace and prosperity for the region and throughout the world will be long and wide,” he said.
Some GOP members oppose the war
Not all Republicans supported the Trump administration’s decision to strike Iran. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) vowed to support Congressional action preventing the White House from continuing Operation Epic Fury.
“I am opposed to this War. This is not ‘America First,’” Massie wrote on X. “When Congress reconvenes, I will work with @RepRoKhanna to force a Congressional vote on war with Iran. The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war.”
TRUMP ANNOUNCES ‘MASSIVE AND ONGOING OPERATION’ AGAINST IRAN
MAGA voices not in Congress also voiced opposition to the war, including former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
“I did not campaign for this. I did not donate money for this. I did not vote for this, in elections or Congress,” Greene posted on X. “This is heartbreaking and tragic. And how many more innocent will die? What about our own military? This is not what we thought MAGA was supposed to be. Shame!”
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