The Democratic Party fractured publicly after US and Israeli strikes on Saturday and the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, leaving lawmakers divided over whether to force a war powers vote to restrain President Trump.
Sharp public split among Democratic senators
Some Democratic senators condemned the strikes in blunt language. Bernie Sanders called the assault “an illegal, premeditated and unconstitutional war, ” and Chris Van Hollen warned the action amounted to a “regime-change war” that would leave the United States less secure. Tim Kaine labeled the strikes “a colossal mistake” and demanded a swift vote requiring the president to seek authorization.
Centrist Democrats praise the president and warn against blocking military action
Other Democrats struck a different tone. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania praised President Trump’s action, writing that the president “has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region” and declaring himself a “hard no” on a war powers vote while posting an image of the ayatollah with the caption: “Let’s see who grieves for that garbage. ” Tom Suozzi, a New York Democrat, said he agreed with objectives that Iran not obtain nuclear capabilities. Henry Cuellar of Texas described the threat from Iran as “real and longstanding. ”
: House Democrats show similar divisions
In the House of Representatives, divisions echoed the Senate. Josh Gottheimer applauded the administration’s “decisive action” to defend American interests, while Greg Landsman argued the US “is destroying Iran’s missiles and bombs to stop them from taking more lives, ” and said he would oppose a resolution he fears would amount to abandoning Israel. Jared Moskowitz pointed to Tehran’s record of sponsoring violence and urged lawmakers to focus on shaping what comes next.
Political and procedural stakes: a looming war powers vote
Democratic leaders repeatedly criticized the president for sidelining Congress and demanded a swift vote on a war powers resolution to restrain his military onslaught. Some centrist Democrats have threatened to block such a resolution if it reaches the floor, and the split has raised the prospect that defections could be enough to prevent passage, even as a few libertarian Republicans might join those in favor.
The debate has highlighted tensions between condemning a move seen by many as unconstitutional and acknowledging what some Democrats called a positive development in the death of Khamenei. With senators and representatives publicly trading sharp denunciations and guarded endorsements, lawmakers pressed for a swift vote on a war powers resolution as the next confirmed congressional step.
