Democratic lawmakers have largely condemned the attack on Iran, stressing that it did not receive approval from Congress.
listen to this article3 minutes
information
Published March 1, 2026
Democratic lawmakers denounced the U.S. attack on Iran as a “dangerous” and “unnecessary” escalation and called on the Senate to immediately vote on legislation that would block the president’s ability to take further military action without Congressional approval.
Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee and the lead author of the War Powers Resolution, said President Donald Trump’s order to attack Iran was a “grave mistake.”
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
“The Senate should convene immediately and vote on my war powers resolution to prevent the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran,” Kaine said in a statement Saturday. “Every senator needs to go on record about this dangerous, unnecessary, and foolish act.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed Kaine’s sentiments, saying House Democrats are committed to forcing a floor vote on legislation that would limit President Trump’s war powers regarding Iran.
“Donald Trump did not seek Congressional approval before attacking Iran. Instead, the president’s decision to abandon diplomacy and launch a major military attack left the U.S. military vulnerable to Iranian retaliatory action,” he said in a statement. “The Trump administration must immediately explain to the American people and Congress.”
The push for legislative checks on President Trump’s executive powers has gained significant bipartisan momentum in the Senate, where Republicans maintain a narrow majority.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Saturday called for an immediate explanation to Congress about the Iranian attack, including a closed-door meeting of all senators and public testimony, and criticized the administration for not providing details about the scope or immediacy of the threat.
“The administration has failed to provide Congress and the American people with important details about the scope and immediacy of the threat,” he said in a statement.
Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, called the strikes “an extremely serious decision that risks drawing the United States into a new and broader conflict in the Middle East.”
He questioned the urgency and intelligence of the attack and warned that it would repeat “past mistakes” like the Iraq war.
“Americans have seen this strategy before — claims of urgency, misinformation, and military action to draw the United States into regime change and long, costly nation-building,” he said.
Not just the Democratic Party
The push to rein in the executive branch’s military powers is driven primarily by the Democratic caucus, but a growing number of Republicans have signaled an unusual departure from the White House to join the effort.
One of the most outspoken critics, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, called the strikes “an act of war not authorized by Congress.”
“I am against this war. This is not America First,” he wrote to X.
In the Senate, Republican Sen. Rand Paul, a co-sponsor of the war powers resolution, said his opposition to the war was based on constitutional principles.
“My oath of office is in accordance with the Constitution, so I must be very careful to oppose another presidential war,” he said on X.
