Bipartisan War Powers Resolution sponsor urges Congress to immediately return to Capitol Hill
President Donald Trump is facing bipartisan pushback from lawmakers after authorizing airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites Saturday night without congressional approval. Critics argue the move violates the U.S. Constitution, which gives Congress the sole authority to declare war.
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), co-sponsors of a new War Powers Resolution, condemned the strikes shortly after Trump posted about them on Truth Social, announcing “a full payload of BOMBS” had been dropped on Iran’s Fordow site, as well as Natanz and Isfahan.
“This is not constitutional,” Massie stated, while Khanna added, “We need to immediately return to D.C. and vote on our War Powers Resolution to prevent America from being dragged into another endless Middle East war.”
The bipartisan resolution, introduced earlier this week, directs President Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress passes a formal declaration of war or specific authorization for military force. It gained momentum as tensions between Iran and Israel escalated and speculation mounted over potential U.S. involvement.
Sources told Fox News Digital that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) were briefed before the strikes.
In the Senate, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced a similar resolution, calling Trump’s decision “reckless” and claiming it defies the will of the American people. “The public overwhelmingly opposes war with Iran,” Kaine said. He cited recent remarks by Israeli officials, who claimed their strikes had already delayed Iran’s nuclear program by two to three years. “So why bomb now?” he asked.
Massie, who has frequently clashed with Trump, said, “This is not our war. But if it were, the Constitution makes clear that Congress must decide.”
The House resolution quickly gained 27 bipartisan co-sponsors by Tuesday night, including progressive lawmakers like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib. Tlaib called Trump’s actions “unconstitutional” and said they lacked the required congressional vote.
Even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a staunch Trump ally, voiced opposition before the strikes were announced. “This is not our fight,” she said, adding that Americans want safe communities, good schools, and economic stability—not another foreign war.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump was still deciding whether to launch the strikes. On Saturday night, Trump confirmed the operation had been carried out successfully, praising the military and declaring, “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE.”
Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify. Israel launched its own preemptive strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last week, citing failed diplomatic efforts and growing concern over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran, in turn, called the attacks a “declaration of war.”
Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to Geneva, said the country would continue enriching uranium “as far as we need for peaceful purposes,” despite the ongoing strikes.
