Democrats Denounce Trump’s Iran Strike – The American Spectator | USA News and PoliticsThe American Spectator

After days of relative quiet, Democrats have broken their collective silence to vocally condemn President Donald Trump’s Saturday night bombing of Iranian nuclear sites including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. From party bosses like Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to progressive like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Democrats across the coalition consolidated their message: the issue isn’t just about the strike itself — it’s about who holds the power to launch one.

While the full consequence of the bombing has yet to be seen, and whether Iran is even capable of mounting a meaningful response after the U.S. reportedly devastated its nuclear capability, the political fallout is already underway in Washington, D.C.

Congressional Democrats, once hesitant to weigh in on this national security debate, are now issuing sharp rebukes of Trump’s decision. Some members are even going as far as calling for a third impeachment.

He Doesn’t Have the Authority

The central argument among Democrats isn’t necessarily that military actions against Iran are unjustified; it’s that the president cannot do it alone.

Jeffries asserted in a statement, “President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force, and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren echoed this sentiment, calling Trump’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear sites “unconstitutional.” She added, “This is a horrific war of choice.”

Sanders did not shy away from posting about the possibility of a strike before Trump made his decision. The senator learned of the U.S. taking action while he was speaking to a crowd behind his “Fight Oligarchy” podium, and he said Trump’s decision was “alarming” and “so grossly unconstitutional.” AOC also accused Trump of bypassing the authority of herself and her congressional colleagues, declaring the situation “absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

Democrats Want the Power to Detonate  

The rhetoric escalated quickly. Rep. Rashida Tlaib lashed out at Trump for “listening to War Criminal Netanyahu,” calling on Congress to “stop this unconstitutional act of war. Rep. Ro Khanna, another Democrat, announced that he will “immediately return to DC” to cast his vote on the War Powers Resolution he introduced with Republican Rep. Thomas Massie.

“When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that’s an act of war,” Massie wrote early Sunday. “I’m amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in DC.”

Democrat Rep. Jerry Nadler parroted the same “grossly unconstitutional” verbiage as Sanders, and Rep. Eugene Vindman likened the president to an “autocrat.” Rep. Jim McGovern encouraged Congress to return to D.C. to vote on the bipartisan War Powers Resolution by Massie and Khanna. “I join my colleagues in demanding answers from the Administration on this operation which endangers American lives and risks further escalation and dangerous destabilization of the region,” Pelosi put out on social media.

A Divided Response

Not all Democrats are on the same page. Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly, who suggested just last week that he would support U.S. military action if it would “completely destroy” Iran’s nuclear capacity, changed his tone following Trump’s strikes. “I’m concerned about how President Trump and the administration made this decision to put pilots in harm’s way and our country on the edge of war with Iran,” he said Saturday night.

Only Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman broke ranks to praise the mission outright, calling it “the correct move.” His tweet was quickly boosted by Sen. Ted Cruz, who reposted it and added, “Amen.”

On the right, some Republicans supported Trump’s decision. Rep. Nancy Mace quipped, “Clean-up on aisle Tehran,” and made another post expressing her hope that the “bunker buster bombs were paid for using taxpayer dollars originally meant for DEI programs.” Nikki Haley simply said, “Well done,” with a heart emoji and an American flag. Even Mike Pence, long estranged from Trump, called it the “Right Call.”

But the rift among Republicans remained. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene denounced the attack as “not our fight,” writing, “There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first.” Other GOP isolationists questioned U.S. involvement in the region entirely.

This Wasn’t a War — It Was a Strike to Prevent One

At the core of their complaints, Democrats’ outrage is not necessarily opposition to military action. Many in the party, especially establishment politicians often open to war, took a vow of silence until Trump made his choice. Their real objection is that they were not the ones authorizing it.

This wasn’t a declaration of war, nor did Trump appear to believe he was starting one. No troops were deployed. No cities occupied. This was a precise series of strikes intended to degrade a nuclear threat, and in Trump’s eyes, prevent a broader regional conflict that could draw the U.S. in later under worse circumstances.

The Real Battle Is Over Power

This isn’t just about one mission against Iran — it’s about who controls the machinery of power. Over the past year, Democrats have attempted to kneecap Trump through the judicial branch — using the courts to tie up his campaign and drown him in legal battles both before and during his second term. Now, Democrats in Congress demand yet another branch of government strangle the president’s eligibility to act in what he deems to be strategic urgency to protect the nation. It is a continuation of the left’s insult to the American people, who they believe lack the judgement to elect a competent executive.

Under the Constitution, the president is the commander-in-chief. And in that role, Donald Trump did not exceed his power — he exercised it.

Democrats and Republicans alike have every right to criticize Trump’s decision, of which we have yet to see the benefits and drawbacks. But the debate we’re seeing isn’t just about war; it’s about who gets to run the country. And for all the talk of checks and balances, the loudest critics seem to believe in just one party with the power: themselves.

READ MORE from Julianna Frieman:

Why Democrats Are Dodging the Iran Debate

Two Parades, One King: Media Cheers a Monarch, Mocks a President

Julianna Frieman is a writer based in North Carolina. She got her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is pursuing her master’s degree in Communications (Digital Strategy) at the University of Florida. Her work has been published by the Daily Caller, The American Spectator, and The Federalist. Follow her on X at @juliannafrieman.