Congress leaders expressed surprise on Saturday night about the announcement of President Donald Trump that he had ordered a United States attack on three Iranian nuclear sites, with some Republicans by praising the measure and some Democrats questioned the president’s authority.
The republican senator of South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, a hawk from Israel, said in an X post moments after Trump announced the attack that was “the correct call.”
“The regime deserves it. Well done, President @realdonaldtrump,” he said. “For my fellow citizens: we have the best air force in the world. I am very proud.”
President Donald Trump points out the new flag on the southern grass of the White House on June 21, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Katopodis/getty images
But the main democrat of the camera, Hakeem Jeffries, said Trump had “deceived the country.”
“Donald Trump promised to bring peace to the Middle East. He has failed to fulfill that promise. The risk of war has now increased dramatically, and pray for the security of our troops in the region that have been endangered,” he said in a statement.
“President Trump deceived the country about his intentions, failed to seek the authorization of Congress for the use of military force and risks in the American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East,” he continued.
“First, the Trump administration has the strong burden of explaining to the American people why this military action was carried out. Second. Congress must be informed totally and immediately in a classified environment. Third, Donald Trump appears and the total responsibility of any adverse consequence that flows from its unilateral military action,” he added.
The independent senator Bernie Sanders de Vermont was on stage in one of his “Oligarchy of Lucha” events in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he read a part of President Trump’s post on the strikes for an audience that immediately began to boo.
“It is not only this news that I have heard this second alarming, you have just heard. But it is so unnecessary. You all know that the only entity that can lead to this country to war is the United States Congress. The President does not have the right,” he added.
Representative Rick Crawford, a Republican from Arizona, president of the Chamber Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that he was in contact with the president before the attack and still monitoring the situation.
“As I have said several times recently, I regret that Iran has brought the world to this point. That said, I am grateful for President Trump, he understood that the red line, articulated by the presidents of both parties for decades, was real,” he said.
At least one Republican in the Chamber, however, questioned the action of the president without authorization from Congress.
“This is not constitutional,” republican representative Tom Massie of Kentucky published.
The representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, the main democrat of the Chamber Intelligence Committee, published in X, “according to the Constitution, we are both sworn to defend, my attention to this matter comes before the bombs fall.
“We need to return to DC immediately and vote on @repthomasmasie and the resolution of my war powers to prevent the United States from being dragged to another endless war of the Middle East,” said Representative Rost Khanna, Democrat of California, in an X position.
The president of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, speaks with the press outside the White House in Washington, on June 9, 2025.
EVAN VUCCI/AP
The president of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, was informed ahead of the United States attacks in Iran’s nuclear sites, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Johnson was supposed to be in Israel on Sunday to go to the Knéset, but the trip was discarded due to the ongoing conflict.
The speaker also took a statement that supports the attacks, describing it from a “decisive” action that prevents terrorism.
The leader of the majority of the Senate, John Thune, was also informed ahead of the United States attacks on Iran, according to two sources familiar with the conversation.
The senator of the Republican Party John Barraso de Wyoming published: “The decision of President @realdonaldtrump to attack Iran’s nuclear program is correct. The greatest threat to the security of the United States and the world is Iran with a nuclear weapon. Blessed to our troops 🇺🇸”
Texas Republican senator John Cornyn published: “President Trump made the brave and correct decision to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat. God bless the United States. Thanks to our extraordinary military and our indomitable @potus this is how leadership is seen on the world stage.”
The Democratic Senator of Pennsylvania, John Fetterman, said in X: “As I have maintained for a long time, this was the correct movement of @potus. Iran is the main sponsor of terrorism in the world and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I am grateful and greet the best military in the world.” “
This is a development story. Consult the updates again.
