Senator John Thune, the South Dakota Republican and majority leader, said in a statement that the military action against Iran was warranted. “The regime in Iran, which has committed itself to bringing ‘Death to America’ and wiping Israel off the map, has rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace,” he said. Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed the airstrikes as well, saying, “The military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says.”
Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the House Democratic leader, took a hard-line against the president’s action, saying, “President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East.” He called for an immediate classified congressional briefing and said that the president “shoulders complete and total responsibility for any adverse consequences that flow from his unilateral military action.”
