WASHINGTON – Most Republicans in Congress on Saturday praised the coordinated American and Israeli attack on Iranarguing that war was President Donald Trump’s last resort to halt the Middle East’s nuclear ambitions after months of failed diplomatic efforts.
But Democrats, along with Rep. Thomas Massie and Sen. Rand Paul, both Republicans from Kentucky, expressed frustration that Trump had carried out the strikes without seeking congressional approval. Some vowed to force a vote on war powers in the House of Representatives next week that would limit Trump’s ability to carry out further attacks in Iran.
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Massie, who co-authored the war powers resolution with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., before the overnight attack, called the strikes “acts of war not authorized by Congress.”
“I am against this war. This is not ‘America First.’ When Congress reconvenes, I will work with @RepRoKhanna to force a vote in Congress on the Iran war,” said Massie. wrote on X. “The Constitution requires a vote, and your representative must be known as an opponent or supporter of this war.”
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said next week it was not soon enough for Congress to respond to what he called “an abhorrent action by this president.” Kim told NBC News’ Kristen Welker that Congress should “reconvene as soon as possible this weekend to vote on the war powers resolution to show that this is not something the American people want.”
In a lengthy statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., questioned why Trump felt the need to launch new military strikes against Iran when the president previously stated that his June 2025 strikes “completely and totally destroyed” Iran’s nuclear program.
He said Democrats will force a vote on the Massie-Khanna resolution when they return to Washington.
“Iran is a bad actor and must be dealt with aggressively for its human rights abuses, nuclear ambitions, support for terrorism and the threat it poses to our allies like Israel and Jordan in the region,” Jeffries said. “However, in the absence of exigent circumstances, the Trump Administration should seek authorization for the preventive use of military force that would constitute an act of war.”
A vote could be close, given the slim Republican majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Unlike most legislation, a war powers resolution to limit Trump’s actions in Iran would need just 51 votes in the Senate, where Republicans control 53 seats.
However, just like Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and the West BankTrump’s new round of attacks on Iran is not a black and white issue on Capitol Hill.
Some MAGA Republicans who railed against U.S. involvement in the Middle East and Afghanistan have grown wary of Trump’s turn to military interventionism.
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Davidson added that he wants a briefing explaining the US mission in Iran. If he is not satisfied, he said, he will vote for the Massie-Khanna resolution.
Paul, a libertarian-oriented non-interventionist who regularly clashes with Trump, said on X that he does not support the strikes.
“The Constitution has given the power to declare or initiate war to Congress for a reason, to make war less likely. … As with any war, my first and purest instinct is to wish American soldiers safety and success in their mission,” he wrote. “But my oath of office is to the Constitution, so with careful care I must oppose another presidential war.”
Across the aisle, moderate Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, praised Trump’s actions, though he added that the president should come to Congress to request military authorization under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
“I agree with the President’s goals that Iran should never acquire nuclear capabilities. The President must now clearly define the national security objective and formulate his plan to prevent another costly, protracted war in the Middle East.” Suozzi said on X.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., a staunch supporter of Israel, is expected to join Republicans in voting against a resolution on war powers.
“President Trump has been willing to do what is right and necessary to bring about real peace in the region,” Fetterman said said on X. “God bless the United States, our great military and Israel.”
Ahead of what the administration dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio named each member of the “Gang of Eight” congressional leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., their Democratic counterparts and top leaders of the Intelligence Committee, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
One member of the Gang of Eight would be unreachable.
Rubio also briefed the Gang of Eight on Tuesday for an hour on the administration’s approach to Iran, ahead of Trump’s State of the Union address, a White House official and a State Department official said.
In addition, after the strikes began overnight, the Defense Department notified the House of Representatives and Senate Armed Services committees early Saturday morning, these sources said.
Thune said he supports Trump’s move and expects administration officials to brief all senators about the attacks in Iran. “Despite the persistent efforts of the President and his administration, the Iranian regime has refused the diplomatic off-ramps that could peacefully resolve these national security challenges,” Thune said in a statement on Saturday. “I commend President Trump for taking action to thwart these threats.”
Johnson similarly defended Trump’s actions and confirmed that he had been kept informed of the impending strikes all week. He said he plans to stay in close contact with Trump.
“Today, Iran is facing serious consequences for its evil actions. President Trump and the administration have made every effort to pursue peaceful and diplomatic solutions in response to the Iranian regime’s continued nuclear ambitions and development, terrorism and the murder of Americans – and even their own people,” Johnson said in a statement.
“Iran and its allies have threatened the lives of America and America, undermined our core national interests, systematically destabilized the Middle East, and threatened the security of the entire West,” the speaker added.
Brennan Leach, Kyle Stewart, Frank Thorp V, Gordon Lubold, Abigail Williams and Margaret Faust contributed.
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