The latest joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran have been met in America with bipartisan praise and condemnation.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of America’s most vociferous advocates for regime change in Iran, rushed to celebrate the “historic operation,” noting that he is “in awe of President Trump’s determination to be a man of peace but at the end of the day, evil’s worst nightmare.”
‘This is not “America First.”‘
Graham wrote in one of several emotion-laden commentaries, “My mind is racing with the thought that the murderous ayatollah’s regime in Iran will soon be no more. The biggest change in the Middle East in a thousand years is upon us.”
Graham was hardly alone in his celebration of the regime-change strikes on the Shiite nation.
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton (R) provided a laundry list of reasons why this is a “vital mission of vengeance, and justice, and safety,” noting, “Iran has waged war against the U.S. for 47 years: the hostage crisis, the Beirut Marine barracks, Khobar Towers, roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan that killed or maimed thousands of American soldiers, the attempted assassination of President Trump.”
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Photo by Mahsa/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
“The butcher’s bill has finally come due for the ayatollahs,” added Cotton, who signaled appreciation in a separate post for Trump’s speech.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee with Cotton, thanked Trump for his “strong leadership,” and characterized Operation Epic Fury as both a demonstration of “peace through strength” and “AMERICA FIRST.”
Democrat Sen. John Fetterman (Pa.) joined Graham and the other Republicans in lavishing praise on President Donald Trump for attacking Iran, stating, “President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region.”
“God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel,” continued the Democrat.
Several of Fetterman’s Democrat colleagues condemned the attacks and the president’s perceived circumvention of Congress, which retains the authority to declare war.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) claimed that “single-handedly starting another war with Iran is dangerous and illegal” and expressed doubt about whether “America first” meant another foreign entanglement.
Democrat Sen. Mark Warner (Va.) raised concerns about the constitutionality of the strikes, noting, “The Constitution is clear: the decision to take this nation to war rests with Congress, and launching large-scale military operations — particularly in the absence of an imminent threat to the United States — raises serious legal and constitutional concerns.”
Warner demanded that the administration “come forward with a clear legal justification, a defined end state, and a plan that avoids dragging the United States into yet another costly and unnecessary war.”
While Congress was not formally briefed on the strikes, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with and briefed the Gang of Eight, which includes the Democrat and Republican leaders from both the Senate and the House.
A spokesperson for Johnson confirmed to NOTUS that Johnson was notified. Sources also told NOTUS that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) were notified along with Sen. Warner, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), and Republican Rep. Rick Crawford (Ark.).
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Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) — who recently filed a Senate resolution with Republican Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) that would block a war against Iran unless approved by Congress — was less restrained than Warner in his criticism of the president.
Kaine accused Trump of waging an “illegal war,” called the strikes a “colossal mistake,” and implored his colleagues to “go on the record about this dangerous, unnecessary, and idiotic action” and vote on his war powers resolution.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a critic of the president who has similarly attempted to prevent Trump from going to war with Iran without congressional approval, referred to the attacks as “acts of war unauthorized by Congress.”
In a subsequent post on social media, Massie stated, “I am opposed to this War. This is not ‘America First.'”
“When Congress reconvenes, I will work with @RepRoKhanna to force a Congressional vote on war with Iran,” continued Massie. “The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war.”
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