With Trump’s Republican Party holding a majority in both the House and Senate, it’s improbable that any resolution to restrict his actions will pass in either chamber.
In retaliation, Iran attacked a US base in Qatar on Monday. The Israel-Iran war, which erupted on June 13 when Israel launched an assault on its regional rival, has escalated tensions in a region already strained by Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza that began in October 2023.
A joint statement released late Monday by Democratic Representatives Jim Himes, Gregory Meeks, and Adam Smith followed Trump’s social media claim that Israel and Iran had come to a ceasefire agreement.
”President Trump cannot be permitted to initiate a war with Iran, or any nation, without Congressional consent,” the lawmakers emphasized, noting that Trump ordered the strikes ”without significant consultation or Congressional approval.”
A number of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have urged Congress to curtail Trump’s military engagements in Iran and to prevent US participation in the conflict. Many Democratic lawmakers argued that Trump’s actions were unconstitutional, asserting that Congress holds the authority to declare war against foreign nations.
Earlier Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson stated it was not an appropriate time to discuss a war powers resolution.
Trump’s supporters maintain he possessed the authority to act unilaterally against Iran to eliminate what they characterized as a potential nuclear threat from Tehran.
The Democratic lawmakers contended that Trump’s actions seemed to indicate a broader agenda.
”The president has made social media posts regarding regime change, which undermines any assertion that this was a carefully focused operation aimed at neutralizing a nuclear threat,” the lawmakers stated, referencing a post from Sunday in which Trump suggested the possibility of toppling Iran’s government.
”There was neither thoughtful deliberation nor careful planning involved – serious actions necessitate serious debate rather than impulsive presidential decisions,” they added.
Israel is widely acknowledged to be the only nation in the Middle East with nuclear weapons and claims its military actions against Iran are intended to thwart Tehran from developing its own nuclear arsenal.
Iran, asserting that its nuclear agenda is peaceful, is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, unlike Israel.
(Edited by : Vivek Dubey)
