Congressional reaction to President Trump’s sweeping military operation in Iran largely fell along party lines, with Democrats outraged over the lack of congressional authorization and notification and Republicans praising the president’s decisive action against the Islamic republic’s hardline regime.
The U.S. and Israel launched a massive joint military operation against Iran early Saturday to propel regime change after decades of unyielding Islamic rule in Tehran — the most sweeping American military operation in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” Mr. Trump said in a video statement.
Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, recommended erring on the side of caution for the “deeply consequential” strikes inside Iran.
Even though Iran’s leadership has “long supported terrorism,” this does not “relieve any president of the responsibility to act within the law, with a clear strategy, and with Congress,” the Virginia senator said in a statement.
“By the president’s own words, ‘American heroes may be lost.’ That alone should have demanded the highest level of scrutiny, deliberation, and accountability, yet the president moved forward without seeking congressional authorization,” he said. “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.”
Rep. Elise Stefanik, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Select Committee on Intelligence, said the “world’s largest sponsor of terror” cannot have nuclear weapons — echoing the president’s message he made at the State of the Union Tuesday.
“I know President Trump has to make some of the most difficult decisions imaginable and there is no decision more serious [than] military action to protect our national security and American lives,” the New York Republican said.
GOP Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, commended Mr. Trump’s “decisive action to restore stability to a region that has lacked it for far too long.”
Democrats pointed to the congressional war powers in the Constitution, condemning the lack of insight and transparency rather than the strikes against Iran.
Sen. Ed Markey, Massachusetts Democrat, called the military attack flat-out “illegal and unconstitutional,” as it was not approved by Congress.
“Trump’s illegal actions raise the threat of escalation into a wider regional war with grave risks for U.S. troops and civilians in the region,” he said.
He said Mr. Trump has “exaggerated the imminence of Iran’s nuclear threat,” even after “insisting” the U.S. wiped Iran’s nuclear program clean during Operation Midnight Hammer — a 2025 attack that “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries questioned why the U.S. would strike now — let alone without congressional approval — if the previous operation was successful.
“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,” the New York Democrat said.
Mr. Trump said in the video that the operation will “raze [Iran’s] missile industry to the ground,” pledging its obliteration and the annihilation of its navy.
Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Markey called for a diplomatic solution as opposed to another war in the Middle East.
“Instead, the President’s decision to abandon diplomacy and launch a massive military attack has left American troops vulnerable to Iran’s retaliatory actions,” Mr. Jeffries said.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalese refuted this argument, instead saying that Mr. Trump has “worked tirelessly to establish a lasting peace through diplomacy with Iran,” which tried to rebuild its nuclear program, thus “posing an imminent threat” to U.S. security.
Mr. Trump, who has positioned himself as the “President of peace,” was scrutinized by Sen. Patty Murray, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
“President Trump promised to end wars — not start them,” the Washington Democrat said. “I think back to the hours and hours of briefings and discussions before we voted on war with Iraq — none of that. President Trump is just blithely throwing American lives and taxpayer dollars at a vainglorious effort at regime change. What the American people want — we the people — that’s just an afterthought for this President.”
She requested that Senate Majority Leader John Thune call the upper chamber back into session, urging a congressional vote against a war with Iran.
Mr. Thune, South Dakota Republican, said he looks forward to administration officials briefing all senators on the military operations.
“I thank [Secretary of State Marco Rubio] for providing updates on these issues throughout the week,” he said while commending Mr. Trump for his actions.
She requested that Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican, call the upper chamber back into session and urged a congressional vote against a war with Iran.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said that when he spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the New York Democrat implored him to be “straight with Congress and the American people about the objectives of these strikes and what comes next.”
Prior to the attacks, Mr. Rubio briefed seven members of the Gang of Eight — the congressional leaders who are briefed on classified intelligence by the executive branch — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon, but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home,” Mr. Schumer said.
Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called for an immediate congressional briefing, warning of extensive backlash from Iran.
In response to Saturday morning’s attack, Iran appears to have launched a major counterattack across the Middle East.
Mr. Markey called on Congress to “immediately” vote on the bipartisan War Powers Resolution, which intends to check the president’s power to commit the U.S. to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress.
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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