President Trump’s announcement on Saturday evening that the U.S. military had launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities sparked swift and mixed reactions from lawmakers across party lines.
Following the president’s nationally televised address, in which he hailed the operation as a “spectacular military success,” prominent Republicans rushed to show their support, while many Democrats criticized the unilateral nature of the action, arguing it bypassed Congress.
During his address, Mr. Trump declared that “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” warning of even more devastating military responses if Iran refuses to “make peace.”
“There is not another military in the World that could have done this,” Trump added in a social media post. “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Republican Leaders Applaud Military Action
Several GOP leaders applauded Trump’s decision, seeing it as a demonstration of American resolve.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina posted on X, “Good. This was the right call. The regime deserves it. Well done, President @realDonaldTrump.”
House Speaker, Mike Johnson, echoed that sentiment, stating the strikes “should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says.” He continued, “The President gave Iran’s leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement. President Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated. That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity.”
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, a longtime advocate of strong action against Iran, said in a statement, “As long as Iran was able to access and conduct activities at Fordow, they could still rush to build a nuclear arsenal. Tonight’s actions have gone far in foreclosing that possibility, and countering the apocalyptic threat posed by an Iranian nuclear arsenal.”
Rep. Rick Crawford, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said he was in communication with the White House before the operation and would remain in close contact “to track developments closely with them in the coming days.”
However, not all Republicans supported the move. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia publicly opposed the strikes, writing, “This is not our fight,” and added, “Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war. There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first.”
Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky also took issue with the strike’s legality, reposting the president’s announcement and simply writing: “not constitutional.” Massie, who had introduced a resolution earlier in the week to block U.S. military involvement in the conflict, emphasized on social media, “This is not our war. But if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution.”
Democrats Decry Lack of Congressional Authorization
On the Democratic side, lawmakers voiced deep concerns about the legality of the military action, with many pointing to the War Powers Act and the constitutional requirement for congressional approval before engaging in warfare.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called on the administration to immediately brief Congress in a classified setting.
“President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East,” Jeffries said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded transparency and accountability from the president, “President Trump must provide the American people and Congress clear answers on the actions taken tonight and their implications for the safety of Americans… No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy.”
Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Mark Warner, warned that despite the threat Iran poses, the president’s actions “threaten to drag the U.S. into an open-ended conflict without consulting Congress and without a clear strategy.”
Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who co-sponsored the resolution with Massie, said early Sunday, “Congress needs to come back to DC immediately to vote” on the resolution “to ensure there is no further conflict and escalation. Trump’s strikes are unconstitutional and put Americans, especially our troops, at risk.”
Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts echoed the call, urging Congress to return and vote on the legislation “to stop this madness.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also condemned the president’s decision, calling it “a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” adding, “He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
While many lawmakers from both parties have attempted to curtail Mr. Trump’s authority to initiate military action against Iran, the broader debate over presidential war powers has intensified.
Congress has not formally authorized the use of military force since 2002, when it approved the Iraq War. Earlier, in 2001, lawmakers passed a post-9/11 resolution granting the president authority to act against those responsible for the attacks.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib urged her colleagues not to repeat the mistakes of the past, warning, “Don’t make another mistake in dragging our country into another war. You can stop the President and the war mongers in Congress by signing on to our War Powers Resolution.”
Divided Democratic Voices
Despite the overall Democratic condemnation, not all party members aligned with the critics. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania offered a rare note of support for the president’s decision.
“As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS,” Fetterman wrote. “Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I’m grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders, who was addressing supporters during a tour of Southern states, informed the crowd of the news. In response, attendees chanted “no more war.”
“It is so grossly unconstitutional,” Sanders said. “All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right.”
