Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers are urging Congress to limit President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran, warning against deeper U.S. involvement in the escalating Middle East conflict.
Despite support from Republican leaders in both chambers for Trump’s recent attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, efforts to reassert congressional war powers face long odds. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson were briefed before the strikes, but many lawmakers were not.
Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, plans to force a Senate vote this week on a measure requiring Trump to end hostilities unless Congress declares war. In the House, Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna are pushing for similar legislation.
"This is the U.S. jumping into a war of choice at Donald Trump’s urging, without any compelling national security interest... without a debate and vote in Congress," Kaine said on CBS' "Face the Nation".
Trump’s actions have exposed divisions within his own party. Massie, a member of the pro-Trump MAGA wing, criticised the president’s decision, arguing there was no imminent threat justifying unilateral military action.
"There was no imminent threat to the United States," Massie said. "We haven’t been briefed."
Intelligence remains divided over Iran’s nuclear intentions. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Iran could build a nuclear weapon in a matter of weeks or months if it chose to. However, U.S. officials maintain that no decision has been made by Tehran to produce a bomb. Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
Trump responded to Massie’s criticism by pledging to support his primary challenger in 2026. "MAGA is not about lazy, grandstanding, nonproductive politicians," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Other Trump allies are also speaking out. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene voiced concern about the strikes, saying the U.S. should not get involved in what she called a "hot war that Israel started", while maintaining her broader support for Trump.
Senator Lindsey Graham defended the president’s constitutional authority, saying, "If you don’t like what the president does in terms of war, you can cut off the funding."
Most Republicans praised the attacks, with Speaker Johnson stating that Trump acted on "imminent danger" that couldn’t wait for congressional approval.
Democrats warned the mission’s success was unclear and that U.S. actions could have long-term consequences. "We triumphantly declare the mission is accomplished the day after, and then we’re left with Americans bearing the consequences for decades," said Khanna.
Members of Congress are expected to receive a full briefing on the operation on Tuesday.
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One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
An explosion and fire have been reported at a major underground gas pipeline in Russia’s Penza region on 13 October, according to UA News, as cited by Azerbaijan’s APA news agency. The reports have not been independently verified.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined high school students protesting outside a school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis on Tuesday, as a wave of student demonstrations continues across France.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited a newly opened defence museum displaying weapons developed under his leadership, including an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States.
Southeast Asian foreign ministers are set to discuss measures to tackle transboundary haze during preparatory meetings ahead of the ASEAN summit in November, as forest and land fires in Indonesia continue to affect air quality across the region, the Philippines said on Tuesday.
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