Democrats warn Trump lacks mandate as he signals Iran strike
Top Senate Democrats on Wednesday accused US President Donald Trump of risking war with Iran without legal authority, hours after Trump said the Islamic Republic’s downfall was possible and suggested he might bomb key nuclear sites.
“I want total and complete victory,” Trump said in Washington, dismissing any notion of a ceasefire and suggesting Iran had asked for talks. “They should have negotiated sooner.”
The president said Iranian officials had even proposed a visit to the White House, a remark later denied by Iran’s UN mission in New York.
The statements came as ABC News reported that Trump was increasingly open to a military strike on Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear site, citing a source familiar with current intelligence.
Democratic senators call for legal authority
Five senior Senate Democrats issued a joint statement criticizing what they called the administration’s “lack of preparation, strategy, and clearly defined objectives” on Iran.
“The United States cannot sleepwalk into a third war in as many decades,” the senators wrote, warning Trump against bypassing congressional approval.
“By law, the president must consult Congress and seek authorization if he is considering taking the country to war," they said.
“He owes Congress and the American people a strategy for US engagement in the region.”
The signatories included Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Chris Coons, Mark Warner, Jack Reed, and Patty Murray.
Iran vows response if provoked
Iran’s UN ambassador in Geneva warned that any trace of US involvement in Israeli attacks would trigger retaliation.
Mojtaba Ranjbar, a Iranian cleric, said, “If the United States targets the Supreme Leader, Iran will strike Washington and New York.”
Trump described Iran as “totally defenseless,” intensifying speculation over imminent military action.
With threats traded and authorizations absent, the risk of open conflict is rising as Washington and Tehran continue to exchange warnings without resolution.