President Donald Trump briefed top Republican leaders in Congress prior to launching airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities Saturday night, sparking outrage among Democrats who were largely notified after the operation had already begun.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune were reportedly alerted in advance of the high-stakes “Operation Midnight Hammer,” which targeted key Iranian nuclear sites including Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan.
The operation involved more than 125 aircraft, B-2 stealth bombers, and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles.
However, Democratic leaders say they were blindsided.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer received a vague call just under an hour before the attack, reportedly without being told the country being targeted.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was not reached until after the first bombs had dropped. Intelligence Committee heads Senator Mark Warner and Representative Jim Himes were not informed at all before the strikes.
The White House insists bipartisan courtesy calls were made. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said efforts were made to contact Jeffries, but he was unreachable. “The President fully respects the Article I powers of Congress,” Speaker Johnson stated on X, defending Trump’s swift action as necessary.
But Democrats aren’t buying it.
“This is a gross violation of the Constitution,” said Senator Bernie Sanders, while Rep. Sean Casten went so far as to call the strike “an impeachable offense.” Senator Tim Kaine confirmed plans to push a Senate vote reinforcing Congress’s war powers authority.
President Trump, joined by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, told the nation Saturday night the strike was meant to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capability, not to start a war.
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