Bipartisan Outrage Erupts Over Trump's Unauthorised Iran Military Campaign
President Donald Trump is confronting a furious bipartisan backlash from lawmakers after initiating a 'massive' military campaign against Iran, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury', without seeking formal congressional approval. The president announced the surprise offensive in an early Saturday video, declaring the United States was engaged in a 'major' campaign to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
'Operation Epic Fury' Launches Amid Regional Explosions
The military operation commenced in the early morning hours as reports of explosions across the Middle East began to surface. President Trump starkly warned, 'Bombs will be dropping everywhere,' while acknowledging that US troops could be killed, noting it 'often happens in war.' Initial impacts included a strike on the US base in Bahrain, which houses the critical US Fifth Fleet headquarters.
In response, Iran's Foreign Ministry issued a direct threat to attack all American military assets throughout the region, escalating tensions significantly.
Constitutional Crisis Over War Powers
The administration's failure to seek the prerequisite congressional approval for war, as mandated by the US Constitution, has ignited a firestorm of criticism. Lawmakers from both parties are slamming what they label as 'illegal' strikes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did reportedly brief the bipartisan congressional 'Gang of 8' intelligence heads shortly before the operation, but this did not constitute the formal authorisation required.
Congressman Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky and a staunch critic of Trump, alongside Democrat Ro Khanna of California, are spearheading a legislative response. They plan to force a vote next week on their Iran War Powers resolution, which aims to block any US military action taken without prior congressional consent. The immediate impact on the ongoing campaign remains uncertain.
Massie condemned the president's 'acts of war unauthorized by Congress' in a social media post following Trump's address. Khanna echoed this, calling it an 'illegal regime change war in Iran' and demanding Congress convene on Monday for a decisive vote, urging every member to publicly declare their position.
Lawmakers Voice Fierce Condemnation and Rare Support
The backlash has been swift and severe from numerous quarters. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona tore into Trump after the president's warning about potential troop casualties, stating, 'We can support the democracy movement and the Iranian people without sending our troops to die.' He reflected on personal losses from previous conflicts, emphasising that young Americans should not pay the ultimate price for an unexplained war.
Democratic Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey asserted, 'Americans don’t want to go to war with Iran,' accusing Trump of starting 'a cycle of violence that has already escalated and could spiral out of control.' He pledged support for the Senate's version of the War Powers Act, led by Senator Tim Kaine.
Adding to the criticism, Ben Rhodes, former President Barack Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser, denounced the campaign as an 'illegal' war with 'no domestic or international legal basis', undertaken despite a lack of public support or an imminent threat.
In a rare show of cross-party alignment, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, a strong supporter of Israel, offered praise for Trump's military campaign, marking a notable exception to the widespread condemnation.
Contradiction with Trump's Previous Pledges
The offensive starkly contradicts President Trump's repeated assurances. On the campaign trail, he pledged, 'I’m not going to start a war, I’m going to stop wars.' Since re-entering office thirteen months ago, he has frequently touted aspirations for a Nobel Peace Prize, crediting himself just last week for ending 'eight wars' globally during his State of the Union address. His ongoing, yet unsuccessful, efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia further highlight this contradiction.
The unfolding crisis places the administration under intense scrutiny, as constitutional debates over executive power and the legalities of military engagement take centre stage in Washington.
