Congressional leaders on Saturday morning issued a range of reactions to the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.
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.
What are Democrats 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.
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.
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.
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 are Republicans 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 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-MI), 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.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES ‘MASSIVE AND ONGOING OPERATION’ AGAINST IRAN
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.
