Iran strikes were launched without approval from Congress, deeply dividing lawmakers

[pnwmom]

Source: NPR

An effort to limit the ability of the president to carry out sustained military action in Iran without approval of Congress is taking on new urgency after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes aimed at overthrowing the regime.

The strikes, which began early Saturday, were launched without congressional authorization. Article 1 of the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war. Top Congressional Democrats and Republicans that make up a group known as the Gang of Eight — party leaders from both chambers, as well as the Intelligence committees' leadership — were notified by the White House shortly before the attack.

Initial reaction to the overnight attack has not split cleanly on partisan lines, though most praise has come from Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

"Today, Iran is facing the severe consequences of its evil actions," Johnson wrote in a statement. "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 of Americans–and even their own people."

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/02/28/nx-s1-5730203/iran-israel-trump-congress-strikes-reaction

[republianmushroom]

1. So what ! What is going to happen ?

Not a damn thing.

[Fla Dem]

2. Please vote for impeachment. He has violated sooo many constitutional and legal laws.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. Iran is an EVIL regime...

But that is no reason to bomb them.

[Aussie105]

9. Evil?

More evil than what Bibi is doing to Isreal, and Donald is doing to America?

The US public has been indoctrinated with propaganda for such a long time!

'We are the Good Guys!'

'Our form of government is good, every other system is evil!'

'Might makes right!'

'Don't look inwards, look at other countries!'

etc

[Traildogbob]

4. Hey Moses

What ya gonna do about ICE terrorism and murdering American citizens. You signed up your children to go put some boots on the ground? Put them under the command of Sargent Barron’s company.
Trump tells Iran people to “take control of your government now, may be your last chance”.
What say you Americans???? Whose gubment needs controlled, and done now?
My raging hate of Moses is so fucking unhealthy.
Tell me who was in control of the most humans having died in the last decade, nations burned down, women and children slaughtered, from their sick power hungry leader. And how all three are BFF’s.
Trump, Putin, Natty Yayhoo. And God dies nothing to these three murders. For the hell of it throw in Bush/Cheney slaughtering. And how many of their children gif even a boo boo from those wars.
And the killing in His name. And Moses is his spokesman’s and Bible interpreter.
Even told the Pope, he would “Slpain” versus to him.
“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow death, Ain’t no Gawd gonna protect you, ya gonna get blown up by the party of God. Suckers and losers.” It is written right there in 2 Corinthians. Both of em.

[JBTaurus83]

5. Talk, talk, talk

Most Dems that go on tv still can’t say clearly that bombing a sovereign nation with no threat to our country is wrong. Full stop. It’s Iraq all over again. The Dems will not seize the moment because many of them wanted Iran bombed.

[fujiyamasan]

11. I am concerned there are more silent Fettermans out there

Meaning, democratic lawmakers that secretly agree with this or simply can’t hit back effectively.

The republicans were desperate for a ‘win’ no matter how irrelevant it was to most Americans’ daily lives. Killing the ayatollah actually makes inflation worse, and sure doesn’t help with a jobs crisis that’s underway (worse than any economist wants to admit).

I have a feeling Thune told Trump even the senate is looking iffy this November and they needed something to put the democrats on the defensive on.

[snot]

6. "Why of course the people don't want war."

"Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life… when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece?... But… it is always a simple matter [for the leaders] to drag the people along…. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger."

– Hermann Goering

[SergeStorms]

7. Approval?

King Donald don't need no stinking approval!

This lines up quite nicely with his emergency powers act to control this fall's elections, doesn't it?

There are no coincidences with TrumpCo.

[EarthFirst]

8. Shut the fuck up puppets...

…if it were such a big deal; this would have been reigned in a dozen or more times before when your governing authority was overtly ignored.

Do something about it or shut the fuck up.

[Skittles]

10. "deeply dividing"

let me guess, the Dems are against while the Trump humpers are creaming themselves

[Zorro]

12. Trump just put a big fat target on us all

Including himself. I fear that a lot of Americans will die because of his sheer ignorance, arrogance, and recklessness.

And any Iranian response within our country will provide Trump the justification to declare a national emergency and impose martial law.

I suspect things will get even more nightmarish as the days go by.