‘There was no imminent threat,' Thomas Massie says in joining Ro Khanna in decrying Iran strike
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) — two lawmakers with very different views and priorities on most issues — came together Sunday to decry President Donald Trump's airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Khanna and Massie told host Margaret Brennan on CBS' 'Face the Nation' that Congress was not briefed ahead of the military action, which they see as unconstitutional. The pair introduced a resolution last week to block U.S. involvement in the conflict between Iran and Israel.
'I'm always open to new intelligence, but the procedure should have been Congress be briefed before we decided to enter war and actually have a vote on it,' Khanna said to Brennan. 'The reality is, people want regime change in Iran, and they are egging this president on to bomb. I hope cooler heads will prevail.'
House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X Saturday that the president 'fully respects' Article I of the Constitution, and the targeted strike follows 'the history and tradition' of prior military actions. Massie said Johnson's latter remark was likely referring to the War Powers Act of 1973, which allows for a president to take limited, targeted actions in a crisis without prior congressional approval, but that it was 'peculiar' to hear this from the Speaker of the House.
'That's been misinterpreted. There was no imminent threat to the United States which is what would authorize that,' Massie said. 'We haven't been briefed, they should have called us all back, and frankly we should have debated this war powers resolution that Ro Khanna and I offered instead of staying on vacation.'
Khanna said Massie was showing 'courage' in speaking for parts of the MAGA base who have continually reiterated they do not want continuing wars in the Middle East. After Trump announced the airstrikes, MAGA largely fell in line with the action despite debates last week over the potential for U.S. military action in Iran amid continuing Israel-Iran missile exchanges.
'The tragedy in this country is that we keep entering these overseas wars, we triumphantly declare the mission is accomplished the day after, and then we're left with Americans bearing the consequences for decades,' Khanna said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
19 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump says MAGA should drop ‘pathetic loser' Massie after pushback on US strikes
President Trump said on Sunday that the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement should drop Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) after the his pushback Saturday night against the U.S. strikes against Iran. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump called Massie 'not MAGA' and 'a simple minded 'grandstander' who thinks it's good politics for Iran to have the highest level Nuclear weapon.' 'Massie is weak, ineffective, and votes 'NO' on virtually everything put before him (Rand Paul, Jr.), no matter how good something may be. He is disrespectful to our great military, and all that they stand for, not even acknowledging their brilliance and bravery in yesterday's attack, which was a total and complete WIN,' Trump said in his post. The president name-checked Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R) because both he and Massie have opposed the president's 'big, beautiful bill.' 'Massie should drop his fake act and start putting America First, but he doesn't know how to get there — he doesn't have a clue! He'll undoubtedly vote against the Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, even though non-passage means a 68% Tax Increase for everybody, and many things far worse than that. MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague!' he added. On Saturday, Trump announced that the U.S. had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites. Massie quickly posted on the social platform X that Trump's bombing of Iranian nuclear sites was unconstitutional. On Tuesday, Massie introduced a war powers resolution to prohibit U.S. involvement in Iran as its conflict with Israel intensifies, signaling they may force a vote on the matter. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said he would co-sponsor the measure. The Hill has reached out to Massie and Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) office for comment.
New York Post
19 minutes ago
- New York Post
Kremlin warns that other nations ready to give Iran nukes: ‘Dangerous escalation has begun'
Moscow warned Sunday that several nations are prepared to supply Tehran with nuclear weapons, as Russia and China condemned America's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Dmitry Medvedev, who serves as deputy head of Russian President Vladimir Putin's Security Council, claimed Saturday's US airstrike — the first to use 15-ton GBU-57 'bunker-buster' bombs in combat — only caused minimal damage to Tehran's nuclear sites, including the fortified Fordow enrichment plant. Medvedev, who did not specify which countries are ready to arm Tehran, reiterated that the attacks would not stop Russia's ally in the Middle East from acquiring nuclear weapons. 5 Russian President Vladimir Putin's Security Council warned that several nations are ready to arm Iran with nuclear weapons after America's attack on Tehran's nuclear sites. Getty Images 5 Moscow holds the world's largest supply of nuclear missiles. AP The statement comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he will be traveling to Moscow to meet with Putin to discuss countermeasures. 'We enjoy a strategic partnership, and we always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,' Araghchi told Russian media. Russia's Foreign Ministry described the American airstrike in Iran as 'a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council resolutions. 'It is already clear that a dangerous escalation has begun, fraught with further undermining of regional and global security,' the ministry said in a statement. 5 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (center) was expected to meet with Russian officials Sunday to discuss the American attack. AP 5 US heavy bombers attacked Iran's fortified Fordow fuel enrichment plan during Saturday's airstrikes. via REUTERS Beijing echoed the accusations that the US had violated international law by carrying out the airstrikes, with China's foreign ministry warning that the attack will have a ripple effect across the Middle East. But Chinese officials also said their country is committed to keep the fighting from escalating, with Beijing calling for a cease-fire. 'China is willing to work with the international community to pool efforts together and uphold justice, and contribute to the work for restoring peace and stability in the Middle East,' the ministry said in a statement. 5 China is calling on a cease-fire in the Middle East while facing demands from the West to stop Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz shipping route. KAZAKHSTAN'S PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE/AFP via Getty Images China is being pressured by the US to stop Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route whose closure would impact global prices. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called on Beijing to make sure Iran keeps the oil port open, noting that the bulk of China's oil comes from the Strait. 'It will have some impact on us,' Rubio told CBS News' 'Face the Nation' of the possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 'It will have a lot more impact on the rest of the world,' he added, calling the move 'economic suicide' for Iran. With Post wires
CBS News
20 minutes ago
- CBS News
Colorado lawmakers respond to U.S. strikes on Iran, address security concerns
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis directs teams to remain vigilant in wake of attacks on Iran Colorado Gov. Jared Polis directs teams to remain vigilant in wake of attacks on Iran Colorado Gov. Jared Polis directs teams to remain vigilant in wake of attacks on Iran In the wake of the attacks by U.S. forces against three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday, many Colorado officials and representatives took to social media in both support and opposition. CBS The military community is a significant part of Colorado, with six military bases across the state. The F.E. Warren Air Force Base missile field also spans an area covering parts of Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado. The base is one of three strategic missile bases in the U.S. responsible for the country's nuclear defense. Gov. Jared Polis took to Facebook on Saturday to reassure Coloradans that he is working to mitigate any safety concerns that may arise as the world waits to see how Iran will respond. "I met with my public safety team this evening and directed that they coordinate with state, local and federal partners and remain vigilant against all threats to Coloradans and the state's infrastructure and military assets. The state is actively monitoring for any unusual or heightened activity and threats." Many Colorado representatives in Congress condemned the decision to attacks, claiming it was outside of the president's authority to authorize them, while others praised the decision, stating the attacks are protecting the United States. Most reactions fell along party lines. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who represents Colorado's 4th congressional district, did not release a statement, but she reposted a tweet from the president depicting a U.S. flag, suggesting support for his decision. Rep. Brittany Pettersen, who serves Colorado's 7th District, condemned the president for not obtaining congressional approval for the attacks. "Only Congress may authorize war. And the last person I would trust to lead us through this is Donald Trump. As we watch to see the results of this strike, my primary concern is the safety and security American service members and diplomats across the region. For the good of America and the world, we must prioritize diplomatic de-escalation. " Meanwhile, Rep. Jason Crow, who served as an Army Ranger and now represents Colorado's 6th District, said he's seeking more information about the strikes and condemned the attack as executive overreach. "I'm seeking more information about the strikes against Iran, but here's what we do know: 1. Trump broke a promise to prevent America from entering new conflicts. 2. Trump has, once again, exceeded his authority. 3. Congress must act now & reclaim constitutional power over America's use of military force." Colorado's 3rd District Rep., Jeff Hurd, praised the attacks on X, stating, "The world is safer when America leads. I support efforts to protect U.S. security and stand with our allies. Grateful to our servicemembers for their professionalism and courage." Rep. Gabe Evans of Colorado's 8th District is also an Army veteran. He praised the military members who carried out the attack on X, stating: "I'm glad to see @POTUS take action to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. As a veteran of a Global War on Terror, I know we achieve peace through strength. Prayers and thanks to our brave men and women who carried out this necessary operation."
