Democrats Push To Curb Trump’s War Authority After Iran Strike
Democratic lawmakers are moving to limit Donald Trump’s authority to conduct further military operations against Iran following the recent U.S. strikes.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) pledged to force a vote on a War Powers Resolution introduced by Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY). The resolution would prohibit U.S. hostilities in Iran without explicit congressional approval.
“The framers of the United States Constitution gave Congress the sole power to declare war as the branch of government closest to the American people,” Jeffries said, while acknowledging that Iran is a “bad actor” that must be confronted. He argued, however, that the administration should have sought authorization from Congress before launching strikes.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) echoed that view, writing on X that while Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon, “the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East.” Schumer called on the Senate to reconvene and pass a resolution to enforce the War Powers Act.
Several other Senate Democrats voiced similar concerns. Mark Warner (D-VA) warned against repeating “mistakes of the past,” saying that no president is relieved of the obligation to act within the law and in consultation with Congress. Ed Markey (D-MA) labeled the strike “illegal and unconstitutional” and called for a diplomatic solution. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who co-sponsored a Senate version of the Iran War Powers Resolution, described the strikes as “a colossal mistake,” urging an immediate vote. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) added that “no president gets to drag working-class Americans into another war without authorization.”
The Senate resolution mirrors the House effort and would bar U.S. participation in hostilities against Iran absent congressional approval. A similar measure failed last year following prior U.S. action targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Beyond Capitol Hill, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the strikes a “catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression,” arguing that Americans want economic relief rather than regime change abroad. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin also condemned the move, saying Trump initiated “major combat operations” without congressional approval and accusing him of deepening open-ended conflict.
Not all Democrats aligned with the criticism. Jon Fetterman (D-PA) broke with party leadership to praise the strikes, writing that Trump “has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region.”
The debate now sets up a constitutional showdown over war powers, with Democrats seeking to reassert congressional authority as the administration signals continued military operations in the region.