Democrats blast Trump for unapproved strike on Iran

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Jun 2025 23:54

Democrats condemned Trump's unauthorized airstrikes on Iran as unconstitutional and dangerous, accusing him of provoking war without credible justification or Congressional approval.

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The Capitol is viewed in Washington on Monday, June 23, 2025, as Congress returns to work following President Donald Trump's bombardment of three sites in Iran. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

US President Donald Trump's decision to launch unprovoked airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities has triggered widespread condemnation in Washington, with Democratic lawmakers accusing him of dragging the United States toward a disastrous and unnecessary war in the Middle East, absent any legal or constitutional authority.

The strikes, which targeted Iran's nuclear infrastructure in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on June 22, came without Congressional approval or international legal justification.

"President Trump's actions in bombing Iran puts the US on the brink of a wider war in the Middle East, all without constitutionally required Congressional approval," said Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin.

As Iran launches retaliatory strikes in the Middle East, it’s important for Americans to know that over the past five months, the Trump Admin has removed dozens of senior officials with decades of national security experience and placed a 22-year-old recent college graduate with… https://t.co/pjgIAhnfuj
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) June 23, 2025

Lawmakers from both chambers challenged the rationale provided by the White House, which failed to offer credible evidence of any imminent threat.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez denounced the operation, saying Trump had "impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations." Along with Rep. Sean Casten, she raised the possibility that the strikes constitute grounds for impeachment.

The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers.

He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations.

It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 22, 2025

Leading Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also condemned the assault.

"No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy," Schumer said, stressing the recklessness of launching attacks without public debate or Congressional oversight.

This is not about the merits of Iran’s nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress. This is an unambiguous impeachable offense.
— Sean Casten (@SeanCasten) June 22, 2025

Some Democrats, while opposing Trump's approach, echoed long-standing establishment fears over Iran's peaceful nuclear program, a program that remains under international monitoring through the IAEA. Senator Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, nonetheless rebuked Trump's move: "The Constitution makes clear that the power to authorize war lies with Congress... The American people deserve more than vague rhetoric and unilateral decisions that could set off a wider war."

Global legal backlash

International observers and legal scholars have questioned the legality of the strikes under international law. The UN Charter prohibits acts of aggression absent Security Council authorization or immediate self-defense, neither of which applies to the US attack. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the move a "dangerous escalation," while IAEA head Rafael Grossi warned that the assault undermines global nonproliferation norms.

Yet in a rare show of Democratic support, Senator John Fetterman, a staunch pro-Israel advocate, praised Trump's action. "As I've long maintained, this was the correct move by (Trump)," he posted on X. "Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities." His remarks were widely criticized for echoing debunked talking points often used to justify US interventions.

Republicans largely rallied behind Trump, applauding the attack. However, principled dissent came from Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, who argued that the strikes amounted to an act of war carried out in defiance of the US Constitution.

"When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that's an act of war," Massie said. He has introduced a bipartisan resolution requiring Congressional authorization for any future military action.

"I'm amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in DC (and their social media bots) to say we aren't at war... so they can make war," he added.

Bipartisan push

A growing coalition of Democrats and libertarian-leaning Republicans, including Senator Tim Kaine and Rep. Ro Khanna, are now advancing legislation to curtail Trump's war-making powers. A group of 12 Democratic veterans in the House has also called for accountability and strategic clarity, warning against repeating the mistakes of past US interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Regardless, democratic leadership remains divided on how to approach growing calls to limit US military involvement amid the escalating Israeli aggression in Iran. Hakeem Jeffries has yet to declare his position on the bipartisan resolution. Meanwhile, senior House Democrats are reportedly drafting an alternative measure, raising concerns among supporters of the original resolution that it may undermine its momentum.

In the Senate, Schumer has recently endorsed a companion War Powers Resolution, though it faces slim chances of passing due to widespread Republican backing of President Trump’s actions. Schumer also confirmed he requested a classified briefing on Iran from the administration, which senators are scheduled to receive early next week as tensions between Iran and “Israel” continue to intensify.

The Iranian government, for its part, has remained firm in its response, reiterating that its nuclear program is peaceful and within the bounds of international law. Many across the Global South view the US aggression not as a defensive act, but as another chapter in Washington's long history of imposing its will on sovereign nations under the guise of "security" and "nonproliferation."

As the US Congress reconvenes, debate is intensifying over whether Trump's unilateral strike represents a constitutional crisis or a calculated provocation to ignite a war that serves no interest but those of weapons manufacturers and foreign lobbies.