Responding to Israel’s attack on Iran last night, which targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, scientists, and key military leaders, U.S. lawmakers across the political spectrum are urging the Trump administration to show restraint and not allow the U.S. to get involved any more than it already is.
“Israel doesn’t need US taxpayers’ money for defense if it already has enough to start offensive wars,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) wrote on X. “I vote not to fund this war of aggression.”
“Netanyahu’s reckless strike risks provoking a wider war and pulling in the United States."
Trump must oppose Netanyahu’s escalation and pursue a diplomatic path to deal with Iran’s nuclear program,” Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) wrote on X. “Trump must not violate the Constitution by involving American troops in Netanyahu’s war without coming to Congress.”
“This is a disaster of Trump and Netanyahu's own making, and now the region risks spiraling toward a new, deadly conflict. A war between Israel and Iran may be good for Netanyahu’s domestic politics, but it will likely be disastrous for both the security of Israel, the United States, and the rest of the region,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in a statement. “As Secretary Rubio stated, the United States was not involved in today's strikes, and we have no obligation to follow Israel into a war we did not ask for and will make us less safe.”
Members are particularly concerned that the U.S. will move to defend Israel if Iran retaliates and furthermore acts in tandem to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Trump told Fox News last night that the U.S. is ready to defend itself and Israel if Iran retaliates.
“The president cannot circumvent congressional war powers and unilaterally send U.S. troops to war with Iran. This is a violation of Article I of the Constitution which requires congressional approval to declare war,” Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D- Mich.) said. “The American people do not want another endless war in the Middle East that will cost lives and tear their families apart.”
“The American people overwhelming[ly] oppose our endless wars, and they voted that way when they voted for Donald Trump in 2024. I urge President Trump to stay the course, keep putting America first, and to not join in any war between other countries,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wrote on X. “Every American should hope and pray for peace.”
Members pointed out that the strikes came as the U.S. was pursuing diplomacy with Iran over its nuclear deal, a path that seems uncertain today.
“Just as talks with Iran were set to resume, Netanyahu launches a strike and declares a state of emergency. He is provoking a war Americans don't want,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.). “We should not allow ourselves to be dragged into yet another conflict, against our will, by a foreign leader pursuing his own agenda of death and destruction.”
"I cannot understand why Israel would launch a preemptive strike at this juncture, knowing high level diplomatic discussions between the United States and Iran are scheduled for this weekend. These talks are the only viable and sustainable path to curtailing Iran’s development of nuclear weapons and protecting U.S. national security interests in the region," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, said in a statement.
"We must always defend U.S. personnel and assets against those who might seek to harm us, but the American people have no interest in another forever war," Kaine stressed.
Israel alleges its attack, which a source told Axios “had a clear U.S. green light," is part of an operation necessary to take out Iran’s nuclear program before it can facilitate the creation of nuclear weapons, which Israel perceives as an existential threat. In this respect, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will fight Iran for “as many days as it takes.”
Yet, during the Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community in late March, Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) Director Tulsi Gabbard said that the intelligence community “continue[d] to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme leader Khomeini has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.”
Moreover, experts believe that attacking Iran’s nuclear program militarily will convince Iran’s leadership to build a nuclear weapon, an outcome the attack was supposedly meant to prevent.
Israel is widely understood to possess nuclear weapons.
A majority of Americans, including nearly two-thirds of Republicans, support negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program over a military action that would destroy it.
“Israel's choice to bomb Iran puts us all at grave risk,” Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) wrote. “We must reject endless wars, prioritize diplomacy, and act to honor our shared humanity.”
