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Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Video of Bernie Sanders Reacting to Trump's Iran Strike Live Goes Viral
A video of progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, reacting live at a rally to the news that President Donald Trump had carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites has gone viral on social media. Sanders posted the clip from his "Fight Oligarchy" tour on X, formerly Twitter, late on Saturday. "I learned about Trump's unconstitutional attack on Iran at a large rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Here is the response," the senator, who caucuses with Democrats, wrote. As of the time of writing on Sunday afternoon, the video has been viewed more than 5 million times. It has been reposted by 20,000 X users and liked by 101,000. The progressive lawmaker's response came after the U.S. carried out attacks targeting three nuclear sites across Iran—at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Trump described the operation as a "very successful attack" and has now called for "peace," while Iran has said it will retaliate. Trump's decision came after Israel and Iran have exchanged consistent strikes since June 13. Israel had urged the U.S. to target Iran's nuclear facilities, saying that Tehran was moving close to creating a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for civilian, not military, purposes. The strikes have sparked concerns from some Democrats and some Republicans about a wider war breaking out—with some lawmakers accusing the president of violating the U.S. Constitution with the strikes. In the 1-minute and 13-second clip, Sanders reads Trump's statement on the Iran strikes to the crowd of rally attendees. Immediately, a loud chorus of boos can be heard from the crowd, demonstrating the attendees' displeasure with the news. The crowd then begins to chant "no more war," with Sanders nodding in agreement. The camera pans out, showing the animated audience raising their fists in the air as they chant, with an American flag visible and being waved by at least one rally goer. "I agree," the senator eventually responds, after allowing the chorus of chants to continue for several seconds. "And I want to tell you something, not only is this news, that I've just is so grossly unconstitutional," he said. "All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right," Sanders said. His remarks drew a large cheer from the crowd. Last week, in anticipation of a strike on Iran, Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, introduced a War Powers Resolution in a bid to curb the president from escalating the conflict with Iran. After the attack was announced, Massie was quick to respond on X, writing on Saturday: "This is not constitutional." The U.S. struck Fordow, roughly 60 miles south of Tehran, as well as the Natanz complex to the southeast and Isfahan, southwest of Natanz, Trump said. The president hailed the attacks as a "spectacular military success," adding: "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." Experts said it was too early to tell exactly how much damage has been done to Iran's network of nuclear sites. U.S. Air Force General Dan Caine, the chairman of the U.S. joint chiefs of staff, said on Sunday morning that initial assessments of the operation dubbed "Midnight Hammer" indicated "all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction," but analysis was ongoing. Israel continued attacking Iran into Sunday, and Tehran launched fresh strikes on several Israeli cities. Ash from airstrikes covers much of the area, and several of the entrances to Fordow's tunnel network appear to be blocked with dirt, Maxar, an American space technology company, said. Images separately published by Planet Labs on Sunday also showed ash covering the area around Fordow. Fordow is built under a mountain, a facility that was secret until 2009 and Israel has been unable to destroy it with its weapons. While Israel has carried out strikes on Iran's nuclear sites—including Natanz and Isfahan—since it started its campaign over a week ago, the U.S. is considered the only country able to reach the deeply buried sites like Fordow using B-2 bombers and "bunker buster" bombs. These huge bombs had never been used before in combat. Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat said in a statement emailed to Newsweek on Sunday: "Stopping Iran from having a nuclear bomb is a top priority, but dragging the U.S. into another Middle East war is not the solution. Trump's strikes are unconstitutional and put Americans, especially our troops, at risk. Congress needs to come back to DC immediately to vote on Rep. Thomas Massie and my bipartisan War Powers Resolution to ensure there is no further conflict and escalation." President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Saturday evening: "ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT. THANK YOU!" Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on X on Sunday: "The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations. The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people." Vice President JD Vance to NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday: "We're not at war with Iran. We're at war with Iran's nuclear operation was really extraordinary. These guys flew from Missouri. They didn't land a single time. They dropped 30,000-pound bombs on a target the size of a washing machine and then got back home safely without ever landing in the Middle East or ever stopping other than to briefly refuel." Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, on X on Sunday: "When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that's an act of war. I'm amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in DC (and their social media bots) to say we aren't at war... so they can make war." Iran's foreign minister said after the attack that his country reserves "all options to defend its sovereignty." The U.S. military is preemptively preparing for any attack from Tehran in response. It's unclear whether the War Powers Resolution sponsored by Khanna and Massie, which aims to curb Trump's ability to take military action against Iran, has the support to move forward in the House. However, with Republican control of both chambers, it is not widely expected to succeed. Related Articles The Strange Political Coalitions Forming Amid Iran-Israel WarBernie Sanders Introduces Bill Backing RFK Jr., Elon Musk PriorityCory Booker Says He Won't Take Money From Elon MuskBernie Sanders Agrees With Elon Musk 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Video of Bernie Sanders Reacting to Trump's Iran Strike Live Goes Viral
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A video of progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, reacting live at a rally to the news that President Donald Trump had carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites has gone viral on social media. Sanders posted the clip from his "Fight Oligarchy" tour on X, formerly Twitter, late on Saturday. "I learned about Trump's unconstitutional attack on Iran at a large rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Here is the response," the senator, who caucuses with Democrats, wrote. As of the time of writing on Sunday afternoon, the video has been viewed more than 5 million times. It has been reposted by 20,000 X users and liked by 101,000. Why It Matters The progressive lawmaker's response came after the U.S. carried out attacks targeting three nuclear sites across Iran—at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Trump described the operation as a "very successful attack" and has now called for "peace," while Iran has said it will retaliate. Trump's decision came after Israel and Iran have exchanged consistent strikes since June 13. Israel had urged the U.S. to target Iran's nuclear facilities, saying that Tehran was moving close to creating a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for civilian, not military, purposes. The strikes have sparked concerns from some Democrats and some Republicans about a wider war breaking out—with some lawmakers accusing the president of violating the U.S. Constitution with the strikes. Smoke rises as a location targeted by Israel is ablaze in Tehran amid the third day of Israel's waves of strikes against Iran on June 15. Inset: Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, is seen... Smoke rises as a location targeted by Israel is ablaze in Tehran amid the third day of Israel's waves of strikes against Iran on June 15. Inset: Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, is seen on May 14 in Washington, D.C. More Khoshiran/Middle East Images via AFP/What to Know In the 1-minute and 13-second clip, Sanders reads Trump's statement on the Iran strikes to the crowd of rally attendees. Immediately, a loud chorus of boos can be heard from the crowd, demonstrating the attendees' displeasure with the news. The crowd then begins to chant "no more war," with Sanders nodding in agreement. The camera pans out, showing the animated audience raising their fists in the air as they chant, with an American flag visible and being waved by at least one rally goer. "I agree," the senator eventually responds, after allowing the chorus of chants to continue for several seconds. "And I want to tell you something, not only is this news, that I've just is so grossly unconstitutional," he said. "All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right," Sanders said. His remarks drew a large cheer from the crowd. Last week, in anticipation of a strike on Iran, Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, introduced a War Powers Resolution in a bid to curb the president from escalating the conflict with Iran. After the attack was announced, Massie was quick to respond on X, writing on Saturday: "This is not constitutional." I learned about Trump's unconstitutional attack on Iran at a large rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Here is the response: — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) June 22, 2025 What To Know About U.S. Bombing Iran The U.S. struck Fordow, roughly 60 miles south of Tehran, as well as the Natanz complex to the southeast and Isfahan, southwest of Natanz, Trump said. The president hailed the attacks as a "spectacular military success," adding: "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." Experts said it was too early to tell exactly how much damage has been done to Iran's network of nuclear sites. U.S. Air Force General Dan Caine, the chairman of the U.S. joint chiefs of staff, said on Sunday morning that initial assessments of the operation dubbed "Midnight Hammer" indicated "all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction," but analysis was ongoing. Israel continued attacking Iran into Sunday, and Tehran launched fresh strikes on several Israeli cities. Ash from airstrikes covers much of the area, and several of the entrances to Fordow's tunnel network appear to be blocked with dirt, Maxar, an American space technology company, said. Images separately published by Planet Labs on Sunday also showed ash covering the area around Fordow. Fordow is built under a mountain, a facility that was secret until 2009 and Israel has been unable to destroy it with its weapons. While Israel has carried out strikes on Iran's nuclear sites—including Natanz and Isfahan—since it started its campaign over a week ago, the U.S. is considered the only country able to reach the deeply buried sites like Fordow using B-2 bombers and "bunker buster" bombs. These huge bombs had never been used before in combat. What People Are Saying Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat said in a statement emailed to Newsweek on Sunday: "Stopping Iran from having a nuclear bomb is a top priority, but dragging the U.S. into another Middle East war is not the solution. Trump's strikes are unconstitutional and put Americans, especially our troops, at risk. Congress needs to come back to DC immediately to vote on Rep. Thomas Massie and my bipartisan War Powers Resolution to ensure there is no further conflict and escalation." President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Saturday evening: "ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT. THANK YOU!" Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on X on Sunday: "The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations. The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people." Vice President JD Vance to NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday: "We're not at war with Iran. We're at war with Iran's nuclear operation was really extraordinary. These guys flew from Missouri. They didn't land a single time. They dropped 30,000-pound bombs on a target the size of a washing machine and then got back home safely without ever landing in the Middle East or ever stopping other than to briefly refuel." Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, on X on Sunday: "When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that's an act of war. I'm amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in DC (and their social media bots) to say we aren't at war... so they can make war." What Happens Next? Iran's foreign minister said after the attack that his country reserves "all options to defend its sovereignty." The U.S. military is preemptively preparing for any attack from Tehran in response. It's unclear whether the War Powers Resolution sponsored by Khanna and Massie, which aims to curb Trump's ability to take military action against Iran, has the support to move forward in the House. However, with Republican control of both chambers, it is not widely expected to succeed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic voters slam their own party as 'inept' and 'useless' in NY Times opinion interview
A group of Democratic voters told New York Times Opinion that they were disappointed in their party, which some called "inept" and "useless." "You need to go back to the drawing board and reconnect with common people and talk about how you can work toward helping people get what they need. We know how bad it is," Terrell of Texas told the Times, before referring to President Donald Trump by saying, "No one cares how villainous he is." The Democratic Party's favorability ratings are at record lows as its leadership grapples with how to respond after Trump's win in 2024. "Focusing on Trump and how bad of a threat he was didn't work. And I think they were too focused on 2020 because it worked in 2020. But he was already in power. Moving forward, they need to do what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have done — the Fight Oligarchy tour, reconnect with people, find out what the average American wants — and then run with that platform through the midterms," Ariel of Indiana told the outlet. Democrats' Identity Crisis: Youth Revolt Rocks Party After Trump Comeback The group of voters were also very critical of Trump's presidency so far. Read On The Fox News App Ashley, a young voter from New York, told the opinion writers that it was hard to even defend the Democrats anymore. "It's so hard to even defend Democrats anymore because they don't stand on their convictions enough. Especially now over the last 100 days, it's really tiring. And I think people just need a sense of hope. And I'm not getting that. We just need to know that you are on our side, because it doesn't feel like it," she said. When asked what fighting Trump might look like, Laura, a mail carrier from Missouri, said, "I don't think fighting Trump is the entire answer. But we've got to do something to bring the two parties together to talk without shouting, because it's just not going to work any other way. We've got to talk. And that's hard." Van Jones Warns Democratic Party Is 'Screwed,' Adding They 'Don't Know What To Do' The opinion writers also asked about Democratic leaders, specifically Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. Two young Democratic voters told the writers that they were frustrated with both of them. "I'm upset with Jeffries because I saw an interview where he said: We can't really do anything. It's disappointing to hear that. And when Schumer caved on the budget proposal that he switched up on and essentially lectured people on how it should have been done and trying to defend himself, it just feels like they're not listening and they're trying to tell people how things should be done and they're doing it right and 'We know what's going on, and you don't,'" Ariel, 23, said. Ashley, 19, said she preferred Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, because the lawmaker wasn't afraid to speak her mind. "It seems like they're running out the same defense, even though they see that it's not working. You're getting killed, but you're still running the same game. You're still using the same political tactics. You gave a grand speech, and you broke a record. It's all performative. What are you doing to really reconnect with people, to galvanize and pull people together? Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Several of the Democratic voters criticized former President Biden for running for re-election, and said Harris didn't have enough time to article source: Democratic voters slam their own party as 'inept' and 'useless' in NY Times opinion interview
Fox News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Democratic voters slam their own party as 'inept' and 'useless' in NY Times opinion interview
A group of Democratic voters told New York Times Opinion that they were disappointed in their party, which some called "inept" and "useless." "You need to go back to the drawing board and reconnect with common people and talk about how you can work toward helping people get what they need. We know how bad it is," Terrell of Texas told the Times, before referring to President Donald Trump by saying, "No one cares how villainous he is." The Democratic Party's favorability ratings are at record lows as its leadership grapples with how to respond after Trump's win in 2024. "Focusing on Trump and how bad of a threat he was didn't work. And I think they were too focused on 2020 because it worked in 2020. But he was already in power. Moving forward, they need to do what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have done — the Fight Oligarchy tour, reconnect with people, find out what the average American wants — and then run with that platform through the midterms," Ariel of Indiana told the outlet. The group of voters were also very critical of Trump's presidency so far. Ashley, a young voter from New York, told the opinion writers that it was hard to even defend the Democrats anymore. "It's so hard to even defend Democrats anymore because they don't stand on their convictions enough. Especially now over the last 100 days, it's really tiring. And I think people just need a sense of hope. And I'm not getting that. We just need to know that you are on our side, because it doesn't feel like it," she said. When asked what fighting Trump might look like, Laura, a mail carrier from Missouri, said, "I don't think fighting Trump is the entire answer. But we've got to do something to bring the two parties together to talk without shouting, because it's just not going to work any other way. We've got to talk. And that's hard." The opinion writers also asked about Democratic leaders, specifically Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. Two young Democratic voters told the writers that they were frustrated with both of them. "I'm upset with Jeffries because I saw an interview where he said: We can't really do anything. It's disappointing to hear that. And when Schumer caved on the budget proposal that he switched up on and essentially lectured people on how it should have been done and trying to defend himself, it just feels like they're not listening and they're trying to tell people how things should be done and they're doing it right and 'We know what's going on, and you don't,'" Ariel, 23, said. Ashley, 19, said she preferred Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, because the lawmaker wasn't afraid to speak her mind. "It seems like they're running out the same defense, even though they see that it's not working. You're getting killed, but you're still running the same game. You're still using the same political tactics. You gave a grand speech, and you broke a record. It's all performative. What are you doing to really reconnect with people, to galvanize and pull people together? Several of the Democratic voters criticized former President Biden for running for re-election, and said Harris didn't have enough time to campaign.
Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Is ‘fight oligarchy' the best Democrats can do?
In a demotic age, when political messages are designed to stimulate the baser popular instincts, and campaign slogans cry simple exhortations such as 'Make America great again' or 'Take back control', 'Fight oligarchy' seems a little rarefied. It sounds like the kind of thing you'd read on a placard at a demonstration for higher pay by political science professors, or the name of a punk rock tribute band composed of ageing former PhD students. But across the US this spring, tens of thousands of Americans are showing up at rallies in places such as Missoula, Montana and Nampa, Idaho, to declare their allegiance to it; signing up as hoplites in a modern day Democratic army ready to fight what its leaders say characterises this US
