WASHINGTON — Top congressional Democrats, joined by a small group of Republicans, are demanding that Congress reconvene immediately after President Donald Trump ordered major U.S. strikes on Iran without prior authorization from lawmakers. Critics say the move raises serious constitutional and legal questions because Congress was not given a full debate or vote before the attack.
Democratic leaders and anti-interventionist Republicans including Rep. Thomas Massie and Sen. Rand Paul said Congress — not the president alone — holds the power to initiate war. Massie said he opposed the conflict and argued it was not “America First,” while Paul said his constitutional oath required him to resist another presidential war without congressional approval. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna also called the strikes illegal and said Congress had been sidelined.
The backlash comes just days before the House and Senate were already expected to vote on resolutions aimed at limiting Trump’s ability to carry out military action against Iran without congressional consent. Reuters reported last week that both chambers were moving toward possible votes, and Capitol Hill outlets said those votes were expected very soon. Still, most Republicans publicly backed Trump’s decision. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune were among those supporting the strikes, while some GOP lawmakers called for more briefings rather than outright opposition. A few Republicans, including Warren Davidson, signaled they could support efforts to force a congressional check on further escalation.
Even if a war-powers resolution passes, it would likely face a presidential veto, making it more a political rebuke than an immediate constraint. But supporters say the vote will be an important test of whether lawmakers especially Republicans, who have long criticized foreign military entanglements, are willing to reassert Congress’s constitutional role in decisions of war and peace.
