A significant legal challenge to the Trump administration’s precision strike on Iranian nuclear sites looms, as Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) asserted on CBS that under the War Powers Act, “even a single member of the House or Senate can force a vote on the Senate floor” if hostilities are initiated without congressional authorization. “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a massive B-2 bomber strike on Saturday, hit Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, but was conducted without prior congressional approval. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President Vance defended the strikes as limited and targeted at nuclear weaponization, not broader conflict.
Rubio explained on “Face The Nation” that the strike aimed to “degrade and/or destroy three nuclear sites related to their nuclear weaponization ambitions.” Vance, on “Meet The Press,” cited the President’s “clear authority” to prevent WMD proliferation, assuring that this engagement would be decisive.
However, the lack of congressional consultation has drawn sharp criticism. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, co-author of a bipartisan War Powers Resolution, lambasted the administration on “Face The Nation,” arguing that “no imminent threat to the United States” existed to justify bypassing Congress. He criticized lawmakers for not addressing the issue before the strike.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, quickly voiced his support for Trump on X, stating that “leaders in Congress were aware of the urgency” and the “imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act.” He also maintained Trump’s respect for Congress’s Article I powers. Nevertheless, top Democrats, reportedly kept in the dark until after the operation, labeled the strike illegal. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) agreed, emphasizing the absence of an “imminent threat” to justify the heightened danger to U.S. forces.