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Time of India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Grossly unconstitutional': Democrats slam Donald Trump after US strikes on Iran; some call for impeachment
US President Donald Trump is facing a wave of outrage from angry Democrats, with several calling for his impeachment following his decision to bomb Iran's top nuclear facilities. Lawmakers from the left denounced the strikes as unconstitutional and a dangerous overreach of presidential power, reports the New York Post. 'The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorisation is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,' said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). 'He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.' The strikes took place on Saturday, targeting Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear facilities. Trump later confirmed that American aircraft had safely returned from the mission. 'Now is the time for peace,' he said, calling the operation a success. But the reaction from Capitol Hill was swift and fierce. Critics across the political spectrum condemned the move, with many pointing out the lack of Congressional approval. Thomas Massie, known for occasionally breaking ranks with Trump, said, 'This is not Constitutional.' Jim Himes, a top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, voiced anger over not being informed in advance. 'According to the Constitution, we are both sworn to defend, my attention to this matter comes BEFORE bombs fall. Full stop,' he posted on X. House Speaker Mike Johnson and some Republican leaders were briefed ahead of time, reports the Post. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised the lack of transparency. 'Trump administration bears the heavy burden of explaining to the American people why this military action was undertaken,' he said, adding that 'Congress must be fully and immediately briefed in a classified setting.' Senator Bernie Sanders called the action 'grossly unconstitutional,' while Sean Casten labelled it an 'unambiguous impeachable offence.' However, not all lawmakers opposed the move. Some praised Trump's decision. 'Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities,' said Senator John Fetterman. 'This was the correct move.' Republican senator Lindsey Graham said: 'Good. This was the right call. The regime deserves it. Well done." New York Representative Mike Lawler also called it the 'right decision.' 'War has not been declared, however, a Nuclear Iran has been prevented. I fully support the President's decision," Lawler said.
Middle East Eye
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
AOC says Iran strikes without authorisation is 'grounds for impeachment'
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the prominent Democratic lawmaker, has strongly condemned Donald Trump's decision to attack Iran. "The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers," she wrote on X. "He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment."
Axios
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Axios
AOC floats Trump impeachment over Iran strikes
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Saturday floated the prospect of impeaching President Trump for striking Iran without explicit authorization from Congress. Why it matters: It's a shocking declaration by one of House Democrats' most high-profile progressives at a time when most in the party are instinctively rejecting the mere mention of impeachment. Considerable intra-party scorn has been heaped on Reps. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) and Al Green (D-Texas) for floating votes on impeaching Trump. A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Driving the news: " The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers," Ocasio-Cortez posted on X. "He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations," she wrote. "It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment." "More soon," Ocasio-Cortez's reelection campaign wrote in a fundraising email obtained by Axios. Zoom out: The call for impeachment puts Ocasio-Cortez on the far end of Democrats' spectrum of responses, but it reflects the broad anger with which the party has reacted to Trump's unilateral actions.
The Hill
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Ocasio-Cortez says Iran bombing grounds for Trump impeachment
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Saturday night said President Trump's decision to strike three of Iran's nuclear sites is grounds for impeachment, becoming one of the first elected Democrats to back the constitutional punishment after the attack in the Middle East. Trump announced Sunday night that the U.S. executed a 'spectacular military success' in Iran, striking three nuclear facilities — including Fordow, which is hidden deep in a mountain south of Tehran. He warned that the U.S. would order additional strikes if Iran does not come to the table to negotiate a peace agreement. While several House Democrats slammed Trump's strike as unconstitutional, Ocasio-Cortez was one of a select few to go a step further and categorize the move as impeachable. 'The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a post on X. 'He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.' Article 1 of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to 'declare war,' one of the largest powers held by the Legislative Branch. In the past, however, presidents of both parties have struck adversaries militarily without approval from Congress. Ocasio-Cortez argued that by striking the Iranian nuclear facilities without authorization from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the president breached the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. It remains unclear if Democrats will pursue impeachment against Trump in the wake of the strike on the three Iranian nuclear facilities. If the party were to pursue the punishment, however, it would be doomed to fail since Democrats are in the minority in both chambers. House Democrats impeached Trump twice during his first term — once over allegations that he pressured Ukraine to investigate former President Biden, and a second time following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. The Senate acquitted him both times. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Saturday night said Trump 'failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force,' and said 'Congress must be fully and immediately briefed in a classified setting' — stopping short of mentioning the Constitution or impeachment. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), meanwhile, said Trump's decision to strike the nuclear facilities 'is unauthorized and unconstitutional.' Republicans are largely defending the strike. A White House official told The Hill that Trump gave congressional leaders 'a courtesy heads up,' and the White House has said Trump has the Constitutional authority to strike Ian as Commander-in-Chief. Additionally, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) appeared to push back on the Democratic criticism, arguing that the president respects the Constitution but needed to act in a swift fashion. Johnson was briefed on the strike beforehand, a source familiar with the matter told The Hill. 'The President made the right call, and did what he needed to do,' Johnson wrote in a post on X. 'Leaders in Congress were aware of the urgency of this situation and the Commander-in-Chief evaluated that the imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act. The world's largest state sponsor of terrorism, which chants 'Death to America,' simply could not be allowed the opportunity to obtain and use nuclear weapons.' 'The President fully respects the Article I power of Congress, and tonight's necessary, limited, and targeted strike follows the history and tradition of similar military actions under presidents of both parties,' he added. At least one other House Democrat backed impeachment in the wake of the attack on Iran: Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) said the strike was 'an unambiguous impeachable offense' — while nodding to the extreme unlikeliness of a Democratic minority impeaching a Republican president. 'This is not about the merits of Iran's nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress. This is an unambiguous impeachable offense,' he wrote in a lengthy thread on X. 'I'm not saying we have the votes to impeach. I'm saying that you DO NOT do this without Congressional approval and if Johnson doesn't grow a spine and learn to be a real boy tomorrow we have a BFing problem that puts our very Republic at risk.' 'A final note of clarification. I am open to the idea that the US should attack Iran. But I am not open to the idea that Congress cedes all authority to the executive branch. No matter how many lickspittle sycophants in the GOP argue to the contrary,' he added.
CNBC
7 hours ago
- Politics
- CNBC
Some lawmakers in both parties question the legality of Trump's Iran strikes
WASHINGTON — Several members of Congress in both parties Saturday questioned the legality of President Donald Trump's move to launch military strikes on Iran. While Republican leaders and many rank-and-file members stood by Trump's decision to bomb Iran's major nuclear enrichment facilities, at least two GOP lawmakers joined Democrats across the party spectrum in suggesting it was unconstitutional for him to bomb Iran without approval from Congress. "While President Trump's decision may prove just, it's hard to conceive a rationale that's Constitutional," Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, who usually aligns with Trump, said on X. "I look forward to his remarks tonight." Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said in response to Trump's social media post announcing the strikes: "This is not Constitutional." Massie introduced a bipartisan resolution this week seeking to block U.S. military action against Iran "unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran" passed by Congress. In brief remarks from the White House on Saturday night, Trump defended the strikes but did not mention the basis of his legal authority to launch them without Congress' having given him that power. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., reacted in real time during a speech in Tulsa, Oklahoma, slamming Trump's actions as "grossly unconstitutional." "The only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right," Sanders told the crowd, which broke out in "no more war!" chants. Some Democrats called it an impeachable offense for the president to bomb Iran without approval from Congress. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Trump's move is "absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment." "The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers," she said on X. "He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations." Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., said on social media: "This is not about the merits of Iran's nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress. This is an unambiguous impeachable offense." Casten called on House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to "grow a spine" and protect the war powers reserved for Congress. Johnson said Trump respects the Constitution as he sought to lay the groundwork to defend his decision to act unilaterally. "The President fully respects the Article I power of Congress, and tonight's necessary, limited, and targeted strike follows the history and tradition of similar military actions under presidents of both parties," he said in a statement. Johnson's remarks, along with support for Trump's move offered by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., indicate that Trump may have sufficient political cover to avoid blowback from the Republican-controlled Congress. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Trump "failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East." But he stopped short of labeling the military action illegal or unconstitutional. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., was more direct on the legal question. "The power to declare war resides solely with Congress. Donald Trump's unilateral decision to attack Iran is unauthorized and unconstitutional," said Clark, the No. 2 Democrat. "In doing so, the President has exposed our military and diplomatic personnel in the region to the risk of further escalation." Appearing Saturday night on MSNBC, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who co-authored the resolution with Massie, wondered whether the anti-war voters who support Trump would back his move. "This is the first true crack in the MAGA base," he said, noting that Trump's rise in the 2016 primaries was aided by his move to slam President George W. Bush for the Iraq war.
