President Trump’s decision to launch a war against Iran without congressional signoff has splintered lawmakers, largely along party lines, and supercharged the debate over war powers authority.
While most Republicans largely rallied around Trump’s decision to carry out the massive joint attack with Israel, Democrats quickly denounced the attack as an illegal “war of choice” and demanded Congress come back to Washington to take a vote on whether to authorize another Middle East invasion.
Democratic leaders have vowed to forge ahead with their plans to force a vote on a war powers resolution next week in the House that would block Trump from carrying out additional strikes.
Trump has said that the goal of the sweeping military operation in Iran, which began around 9 a.m. local time is to “destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry,” “annihilate their Navy,” and ensure that Tehran’s “terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region.”
Strikes carried out under Operation Epic Fury appeared to target Iran’s ballistic missile system and leadership. Trump told the Iranian public that “this will be, probably, your only chance for generations” to end the regime and warned that “we may have casualties.”
Perhaps the most vocal supporter of Operation Epic Furty was Sen. Lindsey Graham, a hawkish Trump ally.
“As I watch and monitor this historic operation, I’m in awe of President Trump’s determination to be a man of peace but at the end of the day, evil’s worst nightmare,” Graham cheered on X. “Well done, Mr. President.”
As I watch and monitor this historic operation, I’m in awe of President Trump’s determination to be a man of peace but at the end of the day, evil’s worst nightmare
Well done, Mr. President.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) February 28, 2026
“This is a bold, decisive act of strength by President Trump,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) exulted on X. “The Ayatollah is responsible for killing hundreds of U.S. service members and slaughtering its own people. We pray that because of this leadership, the U.S. and the world will be a safer place.”
This is a bold, decisive act of strength by President Trump. The Ayatollah is responsible for killing hundreds of U.S. service members and slaughtering its own people. We pray that because of this leadership, the U.S. and the world will be a safer place. May God bless and protect… https://t.co/9o7WyBvbgC
— Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) February 28, 2026
Even frequent GOP critics of Trump, retiring Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) jumped to the president’s defense and credited him for greenlighting the consequential attack.
“I hate war, but Iran has been waging war against the U.S. since 1979,” Bacon wrote in a series of posts on X. “After the regime just murdered approximately 50,000 Iranians, it is time to help the Iranian people get rid of the Ayatollah once and for all.”
Iran has waged war against the United States, our Allies and our national security interests since 1979. Their attacks include the Beirut Marine Barracks and U.S. Embassy in 1983, the Khobar Towers in 1996, attempted assassination against our President, 609 Americans killed in…
— Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ (@RepDonBacon) February 28, 2026
“President Trump has rightfully determined that this theocratic dictatorship cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons and continue to slaughter its own citizens who simply want freedom,” Tillis posted on X.
“We owe a profound debt of gratitude to the men and women of our Armed Forces and our coalition partners.”
The Iranian regime has spent decades as the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism, systematically destabilizing the Middle East while calling for the death of America.
President Trump has rightfully determined that this theocratic dictatorship cannot be allowed to acquire…
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) February 28, 2026
One Democrat who wasted little time throwing his support behind Operation Epic Fury was Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.). The Keystone State Democrat praised Trump for being “willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region.”
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.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) February 28, 2026
Predictably, the two outspoken, war-adverse Republican lawmakers from Kentucky, Sen. Rand Paul and Thomas Massie, railed against the joint operation. Paul invoked John Quincy Adams’ plea for the US not go “abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.”
As yet another preemptive war is begun in the Middle East, John Quincy Adam’s words of wisdom still ring true:
“Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be.”
Like most Americans I…
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) February 28, 2026
Meanwhile, Massie stood by the war powers resolution he co-authored with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to strip away Trump’s authority to attack Iran.
“The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war,” Massie posted on X.
I am opposed to this War.
This is not “America First.”
When Congress reconvenes, I will work with @RepRoKhanna to force a Congressional vote on war with Iran.
The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 28, 2026
House Democrats announced plans on Thursday to force a vote on the war powers resolution when the House gavels back into session next week. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) confirmed that Dems still plan to force that vote in the wake of Operation Epic Fury.
Trump had built up US naval assets in the region for weeks before greenlighting the strikes, including two aircraft carriers.
Top administration officials briefed the Gang of Eight, the group of lawmakers entitled to the highest level of classified briefings about the situation in Iran, on Tuesday. The Gang of Eight includes the top Republican in the House, Senate, and the intelligence committees.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) had been briefed before the strikes began, The Post has learned.
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“Today, Iran is facing the severe consequences of its evil actions,” Johnson posted on X. “For decades, Iran has defiantly maintained its nuclear program while arming and funding Hamas, Hezbollah, and other internationally recognized terrorist organizations.”
Today, Iran is facing the severe consequences of 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 sustained nuclear ambitions and development, terrorism, and the murder… https://t.co/G5XPELtAmX
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 28, 2026
“For years, Iran’s relentless nuclear ambitions, its expanded ballistic missile inventory, and its unwavering support for terror groups in the region have posed a clear and unacceptable threat to U.S. servicemembers, citizens in the region, and many of our allies,” Thune declared.
“I commend President Trump for taking action to thwart these threats.”
For years, Iran’s relentless nuclear ambitions, its expanded ballistic missile inventory, and its unwavering support for terror groups in the region have posed a clear and unacceptable threat to U.S. servicemembers, citizens in the region, and many of our allies. Despite the…
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) February 28, 2026
Democrats, including on the Gang of Eight, largely condemned Operation Epic Fury, railing against Trump for not seeking congressional approval beforehand and fretting that the US is getting into another “forever war.”
“The American people have seen this playbook before – claims of urgency, misrepresented intelligence, and military action that pulls the United States into regime change and prolonged, costly nation-building,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, lamented.
“By the president’s own words, ‘American heroes may be lost,’” he added. “That alone should have demanded the highest level of scrutiny, deliberation, and accountability, yet the president moved forward without seeking congressional authorization.”
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) the top Dem on the House Intelligence Committee chided that “everything I have heard from the Administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame.”
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called Trump’s war decision a “reckless abuse of the president’s power.”
He urged congressional leaders to reconvene the House and Senate to “immediately vote on authorization of Trump’s war of choice.
“Republicans and Democrats alike owe that to the American people. The president has launched an unauthorized war, and Congress must now decide whether to sanction it,” Meeks said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also urged the GOP-led Congress to intervene. “This war is unlawful. It is unnecessary. And it will be catastrophic,” she said.
Both Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reiterated their support for a war powers resolution to stop Trump for carrying out further attacks on Iran.
When I talked to Secretary Rubio, I implored him to be straight with Congress and the American people about the objectives of these strikes and what comes next. Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon but the American people do not want another endless and costly…
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 28, 2026
“President Trump’s fitful cycles of lashing out and risking wider conflict are not a viable strategy,” Schumer chided.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who has authored multiple war powers resolutions, pondered why “President Trump learned nothing from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East.”
“Is he too mentally incapacitated to realize that we had a diplomatic agreement with Iran that was keeping its nuclear program in check, until he ripped it up during his first term?” he added.
I lost friends in Iraq to an illegal war. Young working-class kids should not pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn’t been explained or justified to the American people.
We can support the democracy movement and the Iranian people without sending our… https://t.co/wEGUCekIZs
— Senator Ruben Gallego (@SenRubenGallego) February 28, 2026
“I lost friends in Iraq to an illegal war,” Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) bemoaned on X. “Young working-class kids should not pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn’t been explained or justified to the American people.
“We can support the democracy movement and the Iranian people without sending our troops to die.”
