'not Constitutional': Congress Evokes New War Powers Resolution To Reject Trump's Strikes On Iran

Co-sponsors of nan War Powers Resolution, Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., were speedy to knock President Donald Trump for greenlighting attacks connected 3 atomic sites successful Iran Saturday night. 

"This is not constitutional," Massie said, responding to Trump's Truth Social station announcing nan strikes connected Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan successful Iran. 

The bipartisan War Powers Resolution was introduced successful nan House of Representatives this week arsenic strikes betwixt Israel and Iran raged on, and nan world stood by to spot if Trump would strike. 

Sources acquainted told Fox News Digital that some House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., were briefed connected nan strikes up of time. 

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President Donald Trump speaks during an reside to a associated convention of Congress astatine nan Capitol successful Washington, D.C., connected March 4, 2025; Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) (L) attends nan inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump successful nan Rotunda of nan Capitol connected Jan. 20, 2025 successful Washington, D.C. (Left: WIN MCNAMEE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images; Right: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

"Trump struck Iran without immoderate authorization of Congress. We request to instantly return to DC and ballot connected @RepThomasMassie and my War Powers Resolution to forestall America from being dragged into different endless Middle East war," Khanna said. 

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This week, lawmakers sounded disconnected connected nan unconstitutionality of Trump striking Iran without legislature approval. Congress has nan sole powerfulness to state warfare nether Article I of nan Constitution. 

The War Powers Resolution seeks to "remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities successful nan Islamic State of Iran" and directs Trump to "terminate" nan deployment of American troops against Iran without an "authorized declaration of warfare aliases circumstantial authorization for usage of subject forces against Iran."

As Trump announced his strikes against Iran – without legislature support – Khanna said representatives should return to Capitol Hill to forestall further escalation.

And successful nan precocious chamber, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., introduced his ain warfare powers solution up of nan bipartisan duo successful nan House. While nan solution had been gaining steam pinch his colleagues, momentum could beryllium stalled owed to nan strikes. His solution is privileged, meaning that lawmakers will person to see it. The earliest it could beryllium voted connected is Friday.

President Donald Trump speaks pinch reporters while flying aboard Air Force One en way from Calgary, Canada to Joint Base Andrews, Md., precocious Monday, June 16, 2025.  (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Kaine based on successful a connection that "the American nationalist is overwhelmingly opposed to nan U.S. waging warfare connected Iran."

"This is not our war. But if it were, Congress must determine specified matters according to our Constitution," Massie said. 

Massie, whom Trump threatened to superior during nan House GOP megabill negotiations, invited "all members of Congress to cosponsor this resolution." By Tuesday night, nan bipartisan measure had picked up 27 cosponsors, including progressive "Squad" members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar.

Across nan governmental aisle, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., signaled her support, writing that Americans want an affordable costs of living, safe communities and value acquisition "not going into different overseas war."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., leaves nan Capitol Hill Club aft a gathering of nan House Republican Conference connected Tuesday, March 25, 2025.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"This is not our fight," Greene doubled down connected Saturday night, earlier Trump's Truth Social announcement. 

The bill's original co-sponsors besides see progressive Democrat Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, who called it unconstitutional for "Trump to spell to warfare without a ballot successful Congress."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump would make his determination astir whether to explosive Iran wrong 2 weeks. 

"We person completed our very successful onslaught connected nan 3 Nuclear sites successful Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now extracurricular of Iran aerial space. A afloat payload of BOMBS was dropped connected nan superior site, Fordow. All planes are safely connected their measurement home. Congratulations to our awesome American Warriors. There is not different subject successful nan World that could person done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attraction to this matter," Trump said Saturday night. 

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Israel launched preemptive strikes connected Iran's atomic accommodation and subject leaders past week, which nan Islamic Republic considered a "declaration of war." Strikes betwixt Israel and Iran person raged connected since, arsenic Trump said he was considering whether to motion disconnected connected U.S. strikes against Iran. 

The Jewish State targeted Iran's atomic capabilities aft months of grounded negotiations successful nan region and heightened interest complete Iran processing atomic weapons. 

But Ali Bahreini, Iran's ambassador to Geneva, said Iran "will proceed to nutrient the enriched uranium as acold arsenic we request for serene purposes," arsenic Israel, and now nan U.S., person issued strikes against Iran's atomic capabilities.