Democrats blast Trump over his handling of Iran.

The Story: Democrats React to Trump’s Iran Strike

Democrats moved swiftly on Sunday to condemn President Donald Trump’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities. They accused him of dragging the U.S. into a costly and unpredictable conflict without congressional approval.

Schumer Leads the Criticism

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who had recently accused Trump of being too soft on Iran, now called for a War Powers Act vote, saying:

“No president should be able to march this nation toward war on a whim, with threats and no strategy.”

Progressive Outrage

Progressives went even further—some mentioned impeachment (despite GOP control making it unviable). The unifying criticism was clear: Trump lacks a long-term strategy and is breaking his own promise to avoid new wars in the Middle East.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, at a rally, read Trump’s statement aloud to chants of “No more war,” saying:

“Only Congress can declare war. The president does not have that right.”

More Cautious Democratic Voices

• Pro-Israel Democrats responded cautiously.

• 2028 hopefuls like Gov. J.B. Pritzker remained largely silent.

• Pritzker simply asked for briefings in case the conflict impacted Illinois.

Context: The White House Justifies the Attack

Officials from the U.S. and Israel claim the airstrikes achieved their goal: delaying Iran’s nuclear development without escalating into broader war.

Vice President J.D. Vance: “We’re not at war with Iran—only with its nuclear project.”

Democrats pushed back on this claim. Matt Duss, former adviser to Bernie Sanders, called it wordplay, pointing to constitutional limits on presidential war powers.

Internal Party Divisions Among Democrats

While most Democrats opposed the strike, not all were on the same page.

• Sen. John Fetterman (PA): Supported the strikes, calling them “the correct move.”

• Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Called the action “grounds for impeachment.”

• Rep. Ro Khanna: Criticized both Schumer and the strikes, urging the party to be “anti-war and pro-worker.”

2028 Contenders Speak Out

Democratic hopefuls for the 2028 presidential race positioned themselves against the conflict:

• Sen. Chris Murphy: Warned that the U.S. “has no record of knowing how to exit wars.”

• Sen. Ruben Gallego (veteran): Called on Trump to explain his rationale, warning against stumbling into another distant war.

Republican Response: Mostly Supportive

The GOP largely defended Trump’s decision.

• Trump campaigned in 2024 to end wars in Ukraine and Gaza while being tough on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

• Officials insist this was a limited, non-regime-change operation.

V.P. J.D. Vance: “Americans are tired of endless entanglements—but now we have a president who can actually achieve our security goals.”

Some GOP Dissent

• Rep. Thomas Massie: Argued there was no imminent threat and reminded Americans of Trump’s pledges to focus on domestic issues like veterans and infrastructure.

Public Reaction: Broad Skepticism

A YouGov flash poll revealed that by a 19-point margin, Americans felt less safe after the strikes.

Analysts from both political camps criticized Trump:

• Collin Pruett (The American Conservative): Called it a betrayal of anti-war voters.

• Matthew Yglesias (Slow Boring): Blamed Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal for the current situation.

Takeaway

• Democrats: United in saying Trump acted without authority or foresight, but differ on the proper political response.

• Republicans: Largely support the strikes, calling them justified and strategic.

• The Public: Overwhelmingly skeptical, fearing this could lead to another drawn-out Middle Eastern conflict.