Congress leaders expressed their surprise on Saturday evening about President Donald Trump announcement He had ordered that a United States attacked three Iranian nuclear sites, some Republicans praising this decision and certain Democrats calling into question the authority of the president.
The Republican Senator of South Carolina Lindsey Graham, a Iran Hawk, said in an X post a few moments after Trump announced the attack that it was “the right call”.
“The regime deserves him. Bravo, President @realdonaldtrump,” he said. “To my fellow citizens: we have the best air force in the world. It makes me so proud.”
President Donald Trump indicates the new flag on the southern lawn of the White House on June 21, 2025 in Washington, DC
Katopodis / Getty Images Tasos
But the best democrat in the room, the head of the minority Hakeem Jeffries, said that Trump had “induced the country misleading”.
“Donald Trump promised to bring peace to the Middle East. He failed to keep this promise. The risk of war has now increased considerably, and I pray for the security of our troops in the region that have been endangered,” he said in a statement.
“President Trump induced the country induced the country about its intentions, has failed to request the authorization of the Congress for the use of military force and risks inserting American in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East,” he continued.
“First, the Trump administration supports the heavy burden of explaining to the American people why this military action was undertaken. Secondly, the congress must be fully and immediately informed in a classified framework. Third, Donald Trump is entirely responsible and total of any negative consequence which stems from its unilateral military action,” he added.
Independent senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont was on stage during one of his events “Fight Oligarchy” in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he read part of President Trump’s post on strikes to an audience who immediately started to Hué.
“Not only is this news that I heard this second alarming-you have just heard. But it is very unconstitutional. You all know that the only entity that can bring this country to war is the American Congress. The president has no right,” he added.
Representative Rick Crawford, republican of Arkansas and chairman of the Chamber Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that he was in contact with the White House before the attack and always monitoring the situation.
“As I said several times recently, I regret that Iran has brought the world to this point.
However, at least one Republican in the House questioned the president’s action without authorization from the congress.
“It’s not constitutional,” said Kentucky’s GOP Tom Massie.
The representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, the best democrat of the Intelligence Committee in the Chamber, posted on X “, according to the Constitution, we are both jurors to defend, my attention to this affair passes before the fall of bombs. Complete judgment.”
“We must immediately return to DC and vote on @reppthomasmassie and my resolution of war powers to prevent America from being dragged in another final war of the Middle East,” said representative Ro Khanna, D-Calif., Said in a post.
Chamber Mike Johnson speaks to the press outside the White House in Washington on June 9, 2025.
Evan VUCCI / AP
The president of the room, Mike Johnson, was informed before the American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to a source familiar with the issue.
Johnson was supposed to be in Israel on Sunday to contact the Knesset, but the trip was abandoned due to the current conflict.
The speaker also published a statement approving strikes, calling it a “decisive” action that prevents terrorism.
The head of the majority of the Senate, John Thune, was also informed before the American strikes on Iran, according to two sources familiar with the conversation.
Gop senator John Barrasso of Wyoming posted: “The decision of the president @ Realdonaldtrump to stage the Iranian nuclear program is the right one. The biggest threat to the security of the United States and the world is Iran with a nuclear weapon. God bless our troops 🇺🇸”
Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn posted: “President Trump made the courageous and correct decision to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat. May God bless the United States. Thank you to our extraordinary soldier and to our Indomitable @potus, that is what leadership is like the world scene.”
The Pennsylvania Democratic Senator, John Fetterman, said on X: “As I have kept it for a long time, it was the right decision of @potus. Iran is the main sponsor of terrorism in the world and I cannot have nuclear capacities. I am grateful and greeted the best soldiers in the world.” “
Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York displayed that President Trump’s strike on Iran constitutes a “distribution field”, affirming that it was “in serious violation of the Constitution” without having first received the authorization of the Congress.
“The disastrous decision of the president to bomb Iran without authorization is a serious violation of the Constitution and the war powers of the Congress. It has risen impulsively to launch a war which can trap us for generations. These are absolutely and clearly accusation reasons,” she said.
Publisher’s note: This article was updated to note that representative Rick Crawford is from Arkansas and said he was in contact with the White House, not the president, before the Sttack.