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New York Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Trump Might Take the U.S. to War. Where Are Schumer and Jeffries?
On many issues, Americans are deeply polarized. War with Iran isn't one of them. An Economist/YouGov poll of U.S. adults taken in the days after Israel's attack last Friday found that Democrats opposed entering the conflict by a margin of 50 points and Republicans opposed entering it by a margin of 30 points. Given these numbers, you might think Democratic leaders would be doing everything they can to prevent President Trump from striking Iran without the approval of Congress. Sadly, they're not. More than 20 years ago, powerful Washington Democrats acceded too timidly to a catastrophic Middle Eastern war. Now they're at risk of doing so again. From the moment Israel struck Iran, it was obvious the United States might be sucked in. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made it clear he wanted Washington to join Israel in attacking Iran's nuclear facilities. And on the day of the first attack, when Tehran retaliated by launching missiles at the Jewish state, the United States helped shoot them down. Despite this, the initial statements by the Democrats' leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, and their House leader, Hakeem Jeffries, said nothing about the need for Congress to authorize war. As the days passed and news reports suggested that Mr. Trump was edging toward entering the fray, Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, invoked the War Powers Act to require the president to gain congressional permission. Thomas Massie, a Republican, and Ro Khanna, a Democrat, proposed something similar in the House. Neither Mr. Schumer nor Mr. Jeffries has signed on. Nor has Mr. Schumer agreed to co-sponsor another bill that Senator Bernie Sanders introduced, prohibiting funding for military force against Iran absent congressional approval (despite backing the same legislation in 2020). In the meantime, the White House said on Thursday that Mr. Trump would decide within two weeks whether to attack Iran, possibly by ordering U.S. forces to strike Iranian nuclear sites with the 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs that Israel lacks. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
India.com
15 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Can Trump Go To War With Iran? The 50-Year-Old Law That Few Presidents Fear
Washington/New Delhi: When President Donald Trump was asked on the White House lawn whether the United States might join Israel in its war with Iran, he gave a vague, provocative and open-ended reply in his signature style. 'I may do it. I may not,' he shrugged. The words were casual and almost dismissive. But they carried the weight of a nation. With every passing hour, the possibility of American boots stepping into a new Middle Eastern firestorm seems less hypothetical. His administration, too, has made its stance clear. 'He (Trump) is the one making the decisions. What comes next is his call,' said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. But not everyone agrees that war should hinge on one man's instinct. Some lawmakers and peace advocates are once again invoking a nearly forgotten piece of legislation that was supposed to stop presidents from doing exactly this. It is called the War Powers Act, which was passed in 1973. It was meant to rein in the president's power to send soldiers into foreign battles without Congress's approval. Whether it still has any real teeth, though, is up for debate. A Promise Made After a Bloody Past The War Powers Resolution was born from the trauma of Vietnam – a war launched with no formal declaration, prolonged through executive decisions and paid for with tens of thousands of American lives. When it finally passed, over President Nixon's veto, the Congress was trying to reclaim some control over the blood and money being spent without their consent. The law says the president must inform the Congress within 48 hours of any military action. It also sets a 60-to-90-day limit unless lawmakers approve an extension. The idea was to stop secret wars and endless deployments without public scrutiny. But that is not how things unfolded. The last time the Congress formally declared war was 1942. Since then, U.S. presidents have sent troops to Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and dozens of other countries – sometimes for full-scale invasions, other times for airstrikes or covert missions. Instead of declarations of war, the Congress started using something called an Authorisation for Use of Military Force (AUMF). After 9/11, one such authorisation gave President George W. Bush sweeping powers to pursue terrorists across the globe. Another, in 2002, authorised military action against Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Those authorisations are still being used today. Trump cited the 2002 AUMF to justify the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. That strike nearly brought the United States and Iran to the brink of war without the Congress ever voting on it. The Constitution says the Congress has the power. So what happened? Technically, the U.S. Constitution gives the Congress the authority to declare war. But over the decades, that power has been slowly swallowed by the executive branch. The president is the commander-in-chief. That title, often interpreted loosely, has become a tool to bypass Capitol Hill. Even when lawmakers try to reassert themselves, they run into brick walls. In 2019, the Congress voted to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Trump vetoed it. In 2020, after the Soleimani strike, both the House and Senate passed a resolution to limit the president's ability to strike Iran. Trump vetoed that too. The Congress did not have the votes to override him. What Happens Now? As tensions rise again, with Israel bombing Iranian sites and Iran responding in kind, some lawmakers are trying to stop a wider war before it starts. Senator Tim Kaine has introduced legislation requiring Trump to seek congressional approval before launching strikes on Iran. Congressman Ro Khanna and Senator Bernie Sanders are backing similar bills. But with both chambers now under the Republican control, the chances of these bills surviving a veto are slim. The real test is not legal. It is political. Do lawmakers have the courage and the numbers to pull the brakes on a president ready to act unilaterally? The War Powers Act matters; but in practice, it rarely stops anything. More than 100 times since 1973, presidents have reported military action to the Congress under the law. But very few of those actions were ever challenged or reversed. Critics say the law is toothless and more of a formality than a firewall. Even former President Joe Biden, who once criticised its limits as a senator, has sidestepped the War Powers Act in recent years. Regardless of who is in charge, the White House tends to argue that 'emergency' powers and AUMFs are enough. As war brews once more in the Middle East, the stakes are no longer hypothetical. Americans could again be drawn into a conflict that starts with one missile but escalates quickly beyond control. The War Powers Act was written to stop exactly that. Whether it can still do the job or whether Trump will ignore it like so many presidents before him remains an open question. But if history offers any warning, it is this – once the war begins, the Congress may be the last to find out, and the people the last to understand why.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
New England pols move to block Trump from attacking Iran without permission from Congress
With Israel and Iran seemingly tumbling toward war, Democratic politicians on Capitol Hill, including several from New England, are trying to keep President Donald Trump from dragging the United States into the conflict. On Tuesday, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, both Massachusetts Democrats, joined with several colleagues to back legislation that would keep the Republican White House from spending taxpayer money on military force against Iran without congressional approval. Read More: Trump blasts one of his key cabinet members: 'I don't care what she said' The legislation contains an exception for self-defense as enshrined in the War Powers Act and applicable U.S. law, the lawmakers said in a joint statement. 'The Constitution is clear: Congress decides when our country goes to war, not the president or the Netanyahu government,' Warren said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'The Trump administration must prioritize de-escalation to prevent this spiraling into a war that jeopardizes U.S. troops and destabilizes the Middle East.' In that same statement, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., argued that 'Netanyahu's reckless and illegal attacks violate international law and risk igniting a regional war. Congress must make it clear that the United States will not be dragged into Netanyahu's war of choice.' On Monday, Israel warned hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate the middle of Iran's capital as Israel's air campaign on Tehran appeared to broaden on the fourth day of an intensifying conflict. An Iranian television anchor fled her studio during a live broadcast as bombs fell on the headquarters of the country's state-run TV station. Trump posted an ominous message on his social media site later Monday, calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran. 'IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,' Trump wrote, adding that 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' On Tuesday, Markey said lawmakers on Capitol Hill needed to reassert their traditional war-making authority so that 'we are not drawn into a catastrophic regional war that would further imperil the safety of American citizens and forces, the stability of the Middle East, and the lives of innocent civilians.' U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., also joined the legislative push, as did Democratic U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Tina Smith of Minnesota, and Peter Welch of Vermont. 'Our taxpayer dollars should not be used to fund another reckless, open-ended conflict instigated by Prime Minister Netanyahu,' Welch said. 'War has badly damaged this region. Millions of civilians face acute hunger and need lifesaving aid in Gaza right now. Netanyahu just upended U.S.-led negotiations to limit Iran's nuclear program in favor of recklessly escalating tensions,' the Vermont Democrat continued. 'Congress needs to listen to the American people, as our founders intended, before getting involved.' The action on the Senate's side of Capitol Hill also came as U.S. Reps. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, introduced a war powers resolution that would forbid U.S. involvement without congressional authorization. 'This is not our war,' Massie wrote on X. 'Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution.' MassLive Reporter Adam Bass contributed to this story. Weymouth mayor announces plans to resign next month Commission OK's more casino mitigation money, but the well may be running dry Walter Gunn resigns from Longmeadow Planning Board amid town tensions As federal funding cuts hit Harvard, a private investment firm and other donors step up Trump blasts one of his key cabinet members: 'I don't care what she said' Read the original article on MassLive.
Middle East Eye
3 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Bernie Sanders leads Democratic effort in Congress to ward off war with Iran
Democratic US Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont introduced legislation on Monday to prevent the use of federal funds for any "illegal wars' in or against Iran without approval from Congress. Sanders introduced the "No War Against Iran Act", which contains an exception for self-defence as enshrined in the War Powers Act and applicable US law. The move follows Israel launching unprovoked air strikes and drone attacks on Iran on Friday, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes. There has been concern that President Donald Trump will enter the conflict in support of Israel. Hundreds of Iranians have been killed in the Israeli attacks, with at least 24 people killed in retaliatory strikes in Israel. Sanders is joined on this legislation by Democratic Senators Peter Welch; Elizabeth Warren; Jeff Merkley; Chris Van Hollen; Ed Markey; Tammy Baldwin; and Tina Smith. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Sanders condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's 'reckless and illegal attacks' on Iran and said they 'violate international law and risk igniting a regional war'. 'It is imperative that we make clear that the President has no authority to embark on another costly war without explicit authorization by Congress,' Sanders said in a statement on Monday. 'Another war in the Middle East could cost countless lives, waste trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, and more displacement,' he added. On Facebook, Sanders also accused Netanyahu of 'deliberately sabotaging' US-Iran nuclear talks. Meanwhile, Senator Welch said that there had already been enough war in the Middle East. 'War has badly damaged this region. Millions of civilians face acute hunger and need lifesaving aid in Gaza right now. Netanyahu just upended US-led negotiations to limit Iran's nuclear program in favor of recklessly escalating tensions.' Warren, Merkley, Van Hollen, and Markey also reiterated the need for Congress, rather than Trump, to decide whether or not to go to war. Congress decides Earlier on Monday, Senator Tim Kaine, also a Democrat, introduced a war powers resolution that would prohibit US armed forces from taking direct action against Iran without explicit authorisation from Congress or a declaration of war. Kaine said he was 'deeply concerned' that hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another 'forever war'. 'It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the US,' Kaine said in a statement. 'The American people have no interest in sending service members to fight another forever war in the Middle East. I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the US into another endless conflict,' said Kaine. Netanyahu wants regime change in Iran. Is Trump on board? Read More » However, both measures face an uphill battle in Congress, which is under Republican control. Despite some "Make America Great Again" or "America First" Republicans who oppose the US getting involved in wars abroad, they have been mostly unwilling or unable to challenge Donald Trump's authority. While Sanders has previously forced votes on resolutions to block arms sales to Israel, he has faced criticism for not being critical of Israel's war on Gaza early enough. More recently, the Democrats faced criticism in April after a "Free Palestine" flag unfurled by pro-Palestine activists at a rally in the state of Idaho was taken down, and the protesters were ejected from the venue. More than 12,500 people turned out at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho, to hear Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speak. They both urged attendees to rise above political divisions and resist what they called the increasing influence of billionaires over American politics. Dubbed as "The Fighting Oligarchy Tour" on Sanders' website, the two politicians said they aim to "have real discussions across America on how we move forward to take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country". But at the Idaho leg of the tour, Sanders faced backlash for not reacting to the police treatment of the protesters during or after the rally.
The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
US senator introduces bill to block Trump from using military against Iran without congressional approval
A US senator has introduced a bill that would block President Donald Trump from using the American military in a conflict against Iran without explicit authorisation from Congress. Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, on Monday introduced the bill, which expresses concern about the escalating violence in the Middle East and its potential to pull the US into conflict. 'It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the United States. I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict,' the Democratic senator said. 'The American people have no interest in sending servicemembers to fight another forever war in the Middle East. This resolution will ensure that if we decide to place our nation's men and women in uniform into harm's way, we will have a debate and vote on it in Congress.' The War Powers Resolution of 1973 – also known as the War Powers Act – limits a US president's ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad. Israel launched what it called a 'pre-emptive' strike against Iran last Friday, out of fears Tehran was days away from building a nuclear bomb. Iran retaliated, and the two countries continue to engage in tit-for-tat strikes that have killed scores of civilians, threatening to pull the Middle East deeper into conflict. Mr Trump said on Sunday that the US has not been involved in Israel's military strikes against Iran, but 'it's possible we could get involved '. The President said previously that the US 'knew everything' about Israel's plans to attack and that he 'tried to save Iran humiliation and death' through negotiating a deal to put limits on its nuclear programme. While Mr Kaine's bill requires that any hostilities with Iran be authorised by a declaration of war or specific authorisation from Congress, it would not prevent the US from defending against an imminent attack. Iran has warned the US that it would attack its bases in the Middle East if Washington interferes with its strikes against Israel.
