New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls President Trump’s decision to bomb Iran “disastrous,” says lack of congressional approval violates US Constitution and is an impeachable offense.
By David Rosenberg, World Israel News
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for President Donald Trump’s impeachment Saturday night, after American B-2 stealth bombers struck three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the far-left “Squad” in the House of Representatives, claimed that Trump’s decision violated the U.S. Constitution and constitutes an impeachable offense.
Taking to X, the 35-year-old lawmaker called Trump’s decision “disastrous.”
“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
Under the United States Constitution, Congress has the exclusive power to declare war on foreign enemies, though this does not explicitly limit the President’s ability as Commander-in-Chief to carry out military action without a declaration of war.
In 1973, Congress passed the War Powers Resolution, imposing some limitations on the President’s ability to conduct military operations without a declaration of war, requiring notification of Congress within two days of any new hostilities, and imposing a two-month cap on military actions which have not been sanctioned by Congress.
“The president just saved millions of lives by eliminating the threat of a nuclear attack by a radical Islamist regime,” former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman wrote in response to Ocasio-Cortez’s comments. “He acted fully in accordance with law. The fact that you see this so negatively disqualifies you from serious leadership.”
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the House Minority Leader, blasted Trump, whom he said had “misled the country about his intensions” and for failing “to seek congressional authorization.”
“Donald Trump shoulders complete and total responsibility for any adverse consequences that flow from his unilateral military action,” Jeffries said.
Some Democrats, however, appeared to support the airstrikes in Iran.
“The world can achieve peace in the Middle East, or it can accept a rogue nuclear weapons program—but it cannot have both,” Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York said.
“The decisive destruction of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant prevents the dangerous spread of nuclear weapons in the world’s most combustible region. No one truly committed to nuclear nonproliferation should mourn the fall of Fordow.”
Hours before the strikes, liberal activist Van Jones told CNN that either the U.S. or Israel must ensure that Iran’s nuclear program is destroyed, criticizing progressives for ignoring the dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran.
“They cannot have a bomb,” Jones said. “Because they say death to America, death to Israel and death to all the Jews. One of those should offend you if you’re progressives — at least one should offend you.”
At least one Republican lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, joined Ocasio-Cortez in accusing Trump of violating the Constitution.
“This is not Constitutional,” Massie tweeted in response to Trump’s statement announcing strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
Some senior congressional Republicans expressed mixed feelings over the strikes, celebrating the damage to Iran’s nuclear program while fretting over deepening American involvement.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi lauded the attacks while warning that America faces “very serious choices ahead.”
Jim Risch, a Republican senator from Idaho who heads the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the war with Iran was “Israel’s war,” while emphasizing that the U.S. would not deploy ground forces.
“This war is Israel’s war, not our war, but Israel is one of our strongest allies and is disarming Iran for the good of the world.”
“This is not the start of a forever war. There will not be American boots on the ground in Iran.”
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