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Have Not Seen Evidence of Imminent Iran Threat, Says Rep. Bill Foster [D-IL] - Balance of Power
Mar 3, 2026 Latest Videos from Bloomberg Radio
Illinois Democrat Representative Bill Foster said that he has not been shown evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States and President Trump breached the constitution to carry out strikes on Iran. The congressman, who holds a PhD in physics, said that he is concerned about Iran's stockpile of 60% enriched uranium that can be used to make nuclear devices.
President Donald Trump expressed concern that the strikes against Iran could lead to a new leadership that’s equally troubling to Washington as the regime the US and Israel are fighting to topple.
Trump’s comments are likely to spur concerns on the administration’s endgame with the conflict well into its fourth day and retaliatory actions from Iran against Saudi Arabia exacerbating fears of further escalation across the region.
“I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over, who’s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen,” Trump told reporters Tuesday in the Oval Office. “You go through this, and then in five years, you realize you put somebody in who is no better.”
The US president, who was speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, reiterated that he’d like to see a more moderate leader emerge in Iran, but that his top candidates were killed amid strikes and a second group of officials “may be dead also,” based on reports.
“So I guess you have a third wave coming in pretty soon,” he added.
In a social media post earlier Tuesday Trump said “wars can be fought ‘forever’” and said the US had an unlimited supply of the nuclear weapons and long-range missiles that the US wanted to prevent Iran from obtaining. Earlier, he claimed Iran’s “air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone.”
Trump maintained that oil and gas prices would return to a steady state even though he’s been unclear about how long the military operations could last.
“If we have a little high oil prices for a little while — but as soon as this ends, those prices are going to drop, I believe, lower than ever before,” Trump told reporters. A handful of moderate Democrats introduced an alternative, pared-down war powers resolution in a split from party leaders’ staunch opposition to ongoing military action in Iran.
A resolution led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and co-signed by Reps. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) would give the Trump administration 30 days to engage in hostilities against Iran before requiring congressional authorization. Democratic leaders will force a House vote this week on a separate resolution that would immediately cease hostilities barring a declaration of war from Congress.
The alternative resolution shows division within the Democratic Party about US military action in Iran, which began with US and Israeli strikes starting Feb. 28. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said House Democrats will discuss Iran at a weekly caucus meeting Wednesday morning, following a Tuesday all-member briefing from the administration.
Senators are also receiving an administration briefing Tuesday and are expected to vote on a war powers resolution this week.
Gottheimer previously telegraphed his opposition to the leadership-backed war powers resolution, saying in a late February joint statement with Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) that it “would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks, signaling weakness at a dangerous moment.”
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who are leading the war powers resolution that will get a vote this week, argue Trump’s military operation is unconstitutional without the explicit approval of Congress.
Illinois Democrat Representative Bill Foster said that he has not been shown evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States and President Trump breached the constitution to carry out strikes on Iran. The congressman, who holds a PhD in physics, said that he is concerned about Iran's stockpile of 60% enriched uranium that can be used to make nuclear devices.
President Donald Trump expressed concern that the strikes against Iran could lead to a new leadership that’s equally troubling to Washington as the regime the US and Israel are fighting to topple.
Trump’s comments are likely to spur concerns on the administration’s endgame with the conflict well into its fourth day and retaliatory actions from Iran against Saudi Arabia exacerbating fears of further escalation across the region.
“I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over, who’s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen,” Trump told reporters Tuesday in the Oval Office. “You go through this, and then in five years, you realize you put somebody in who is no better.”
The US president, who was speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, reiterated that he’d like to see a more moderate leader emerge in Iran, but that his top candidates were killed amid strikes and a second group of officials “may be dead also,” based on reports.
“So I guess you have a third wave coming in pretty soon,” he added.
In a social media post earlier Tuesday Trump said “wars can be fought ‘forever’” and said the US had an unlimited supply of the nuclear weapons and long-range missiles that the US wanted to prevent Iran from obtaining. Earlier, he claimed Iran’s “air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone.”
Trump maintained that oil and gas prices would return to a steady state even though he’s been unclear about how long the military operations could last.
“If we have a little high oil prices for a little while — but as soon as this ends, those prices are going to drop, I believe, lower than ever before,” Trump told reporters. A handful of moderate Democrats introduced an alternative, pared-down war powers resolution in a split from party leaders’ staunch opposition to ongoing military action in Iran.
A resolution led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and co-signed by Reps. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) would give the Trump administration 30 days to engage in hostilities against Iran before requiring congressional authorization. Democratic leaders will force a House vote this week on a separate resolution that would immediately cease hostilities barring a declaration of war from Congress.
The alternative resolution shows division within the Democratic Party about US military action in Iran, which began with US and Israeli strikes starting Feb. 28. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said House Democrats will discuss Iran at a weekly caucus meeting Wednesday morning, following a Tuesday all-member briefing from the administration.
Senators are also receiving an administration briefing Tuesday and are expected to vote on a war powers resolution this week.
Gottheimer previously telegraphed his opposition to the leadership-backed war powers resolution, saying in a late February joint statement with Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) that it “would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks, signaling weakness at a dangerous moment.”
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who are leading the war powers resolution that will get a vote this week, argue Trump’s military operation is unconstitutional without the explicit approval of Congress.