Republicans support Trump’s war on Iran, reject Congress’ role as war power

WASHINGTON – Republican lawmakers said Tuesday after secret briefings on Capitol Hill that they have no intention of limiting President Donald Trump’s ability to continue the war in Iran, although some said sending in ground troops would be a step too far.

Democrats argued that military officials and the administration did not share clear goals or a strategy for exiting the war, making debate and a vote in Congress more essential.

“When there is no set plan … you end up with endless war, mission creep and all kinds of problems,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “There really needs to be a public debate so that the American people, who are already very opposed to this, can see what we have seen.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said during an afternoon news conference before the briefing that he does not believe Congress should declare or authorize the war.

“No, I believe the president has the authority he needs to conduct the activities and operations there currently,” he said. “As you know, there is a lot of controversy and questions surrounding the Armed Services Act. But I think the president is acting in the best interest of the nation and our national security interests by ensuring that Americans and American bases and facilities in this region, as well as our allies, are protected.”

Lawmakers received closed-door briefings from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe.

Tim Kaine and Rand Paul Push for War Powers Voting

The Senate is expected to vote on Wednesday resolution of the war powers co-sponsored by Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul, which would direct the administration “to withdraw United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or against Iran unless expressly authorized by a declaration of war or special authorization for the use of military force.”

Later this week, likely on Thursday, the House will vote on a similar proposal from Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie and California Republican Ro Khanna. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the effort lacks the support to succeed.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said leaving an afternoon briefing that the Trump administration would not rule out going on the ground.

Wicker said he did not believe Congress would have to authorize a U.S. troop presence in Iran, although he declined to say why he believed the president had authority over a ground war not approved by lawmakers.

AND report of the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service notes that although Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war, this power “has been the subject of intense debate.”

“The Supreme Court noted that only Congress has the authority to declare war, but the consequences of this exclusive authority are not well established,” the report said. “In particular, the relationship between Congress’s power to declare war and the war powers granted to the President under Article II of the Constitution is the subject of significant dispute.”

“It’s a huge operation and a rapidly changing one.”

Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said he “doesn’t think the American people want to see troops on the ground. I don’t think they do. And while they’ve left the possibility open, it doesn’t seem to be something they’re emphasizing.”

Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said he thinks Congress will have to allow U.S. troops to be stationed in Iran, which he is unlikely to support.

“It’s hard for me to imagine a scenario in which I would do that,” he said.

Hawley said the classified briefing left the impression that the Trump administration’s war on Iran would continue for some time.

“I think there’s still a lot to come because one of the things I’ve taken away from this is that it’s a huge operation and it’s changing rapidly,” he said.

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said that “this was an important briefing that we had today and that this is a situation that is clearly developing rapidly.”

Republican Senator from North Dakota John Hoeven refused to answer a question about whether he would support Trump sending US troops to Iran.

“Well, again, it’s an option and if and when it comes to it, we could deal with it at this stage,” he said. “But I don’t think there’s any indication of that at this point.”

Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin said Hegseth “has no intention of limiting any of the president’s options” when asked about the possibility of stationing U.S. troops in Iran.

Mullin described the role Congress plays in authorizing the administration’s offensive on Iran as “questionable.”

“We will not take away the power of the president of the United States to be commander in chief.[…]We don’t need 535 commanders,” Mullin said.

Lindsey Graham ‘never felt better about how it was going to end’

Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, said interceptor stock levels are a “major concern.”

“We don’t have an unlimited supply, and the Iranians are capable of producing a lot of Shahed drones, medium- and short-range ballistic missiles. And they have a huge stockpile,” Kelly said. “So at some point we’re probably already there. It becomes a mathematical problem. How can we replenish air defense munitions? Where will it come from? What impact does this have on other theaters?”

For example, the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Indo-Pacific Command, Kelly said, would leave troops in that region of the world “more vulnerable.”

“We don’t have an unlimited supply. They shoot a lot of material,” he said. “The number has certainly come down a bit over time, but the math seems to be the problem right now.”

Senate Appropriations Committee member Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the administration has not yet asked Congress to provide additional funds for the war.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., left the briefing saying he had “never felt better knowing how this was going to end.”

Graham said he had spoken to Arab leaders by phone earlier in the day and “they intend to enter the fight in a more direct manner.”

Graham also spoke directly to cameras in case Trump was watching, he said, to encourage the president to join Israel in bombing Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.

“Not only destroy the Iran mothership, but also take down the Hezbollah proxy. Settle the scores,” Graham said.

Mike Johnson defends Trump’s constitutional authority

Johnson said Trump took advantage of a “narrow and unique opportunity” to attack Iran on the weekendand that he “had within his constitutional authority to do what he did.”

“We had a counselor from the (Department of Justice) here tonight who said very well, very clearly – the only thing he missed was citing specific case law – but he explained that this has been a tradition for decades.”

Johnson said the US-Israel joint war on Iran has been “very successful so far” and described the proposed resolution on war powers as “dangerous.”

He said the U.S. mission in Iran “must be completed.” “We don’t need Congress to get in the way of this.”

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said she would “not for now” vote on the Wars Powers resolution later this week.

“But if this situation lasts longer than a few weeks, I’ll have a lot more to worry about,” Mace said, adding that keeping his feet on the ground “would be a completely different conversation.”

“That’s not where we are today. That’s not what I heard in the briefing,” Mace said, dwindling to provide more details of the secret meeting. “I feel very good and very confident about where the strikes in this conflict are at about just over 100 hours.”