At War Without a Vote

Today, June 21st 2025, President Trump ordered coordinated airstrikes on the following three Iranian nuclear facilities Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This marks the first time U.S. jets have bombed Iranian soil in decades. These operations were executed using advanced B‑2 stealth bombers and possibly bunker-buster bombs such as the GBU‑57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. Trump himself later described the action as “very successful” and claimed that “all U.S. aircraft had exited Iranian airspace”. This may come as a surprise since Trump had earlier promised to “wait two weeks” before engaging militarily but now days later has proceeded.

Let’s make some things clear, no resolution was passed. No debate took place in Congress. No formal declaration of war was issued. What occurred today was a unilateral decision driven by political impulse and a hunger for power. Defying constitutional guardrails, Trump directly inserted the United States into a war directly contradicting longstanding democratic safeguards such as the War Powers Resolution designed to prevent such a unilateral escalation.

Why This Matters

Constitutionally, declaring war is Congress’s responsibility not the president’s. Ratified after breaking ground with the U.S. Constitution’s Article I, which vests war powers in the legislature, Congress reaffirmed that the president cannot send Americans into a conflict of this magnitude without legislative approval. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 serves as a guardrail to ensure democratic oversight. History shows presidents often bypass it through narrow authorizations or executive maneuvering. Here, no such façade exists. Trump bypassed Congress entirely. He mobilized military force on a whim, grounded in personal conviction rather than constitutional mandate. This is not a limited operation; it represents full-scale entry into a regional conflict.

Tracking the Escalation

The strikes followed a rapid escalation that began mid-June, when Israeli forces launched Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile and military installations. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones at Israel, striking areas including a hospital in Beersheba. This is an example of one of the most disturbing dimensions of modern warfare: the strategic use of civilians as shields. Israel, Trump’s primary ally in this strike, has long faced international criticism for this practice. As violence exploded, Tehran labeled U.S. participation “dangerous” and warned the conflict could expand across the region.

Despite these warnings, Trump made the decision. In an evening statement to Axios, he emphasized the goal of denying Iran a nuclear weapon and suggested diplomatic avenues had already been exhausted. Signature comments came amid fierce debate among Republicans. Senator John Fetterman praised Trump for decisive action; Representative Thomas Massie raised alarms about constitutional authority.

These diverging positions underscore the gravity of what just transpired. We are witnessing a constitutional crisis enacted in real time: war by presidential decree, not popular mandate.

The Legal and Democratic Crisis

Alongside the War Powers Resolution, the Framers designed separation of powers precisely to prevent impulsive war-making. Congress debated, voted, and carried the burden of deciding when blood and treasure would flow. That system has been radically compromised.

Even under the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs, which were passed with the purpose of fighting terrorism, U.S. engagement remains legally intricate. Striking nuclear sites in Iran is not remotely covered by those authorizations . Repeatedly, presidential administrations have skirted formal processes, creating legal vacuums filled by executive action. The very same action that now poses existential questions.

If presidents can bomb foreign soil without accountability or building consensus in Congress, then what remains of democratic restraint? The precedent being set today is chilling.

Ramifications at Home and Abroad

The strike has set off alarm bells around the world. Gulf allies such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE warned of regional destabilization. The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency cautioned about civilian risks from targeting nuclear facilities. Iran, facing direct U.S. aggression, has threatened to retaliate, possibly expanding the war globally.

Domestically, the reaction is fractured. Many Republicans celebrate what they see as standing up to Iran; others fear Trump has abused presidential authority. Democrats and independent voices call for congressional intervention, pointing to Klein’s warning that this war amounts to unchecked executive power masquerading as national security.

A Moment of Urgency

Now is the time to act. If Congress allows this excursion to continue without oversight, it sets a dangerous standard: future presidents launching wars at will, ignoring treaties, democratic discourse, and the sacrifices of a conflicted populace. The U.S. contend with the following fact: we are entering a constitutional crisis with no redress

We can still demand accountability:

• Contact your representatives, urging them to convene immediately and assert constitutional responsibility.

• Ask support for a resolution halting any ongoing military operations in Iran until formal approval is granted.

• Press Congress to reform or reinforce War Powers limitations so rogue actions—like the ones seen today—do not become normalized.

Congress holds the keys. Citizens must mobilize. We must demand debate, demand votes, demand restoration of constitutional norms before the path we are on becomes irreversible.

Call your senators. Call your representative. Demand that they uphold their duty and stop this war in its tracks. Congress, not a single individual, decides whether to commit the nation’s future to war. If we do not stop this, we will not be stepping into history. We will be surrendering it.

1. “Israel Says It’s Preparing for Possibly Long War as Iran Calls U.S. Involvement ‘Dangerous.’” PBS NewsHour, 22 June 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israel-says-its-preparing-for-possibly-long-war-as-iran-calls-u-s-involvement-dangerous.

2. “Live: US Joins Israel’s Attacks on Iran, Bombs Three Nuclear Sites.” Al Jazeera, 22 June 2025, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/6/22/live-us-joins-israels-attacks-on-iran-bombs-three-nuclear-sites.

3. Samuels, Brett. “US Joins Israeli Strikes on Iran Nuclear Facilities.” Axios, 21 June 2025, https://www.axios.com/2025/06/21/us-strike-iran-nuclear-israel-trump.

4. “Unlawful Israeli Attacks on Gaza Homes May Amount to War Crimes.” Amnesty International, 20 Oct. 2023, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/israel-opt-unlawful-israeli-attacks-on-gaza-homes/.

5. “UN Human Rights Office Urges Respect for International Law and Calls for End to Civilian Suffering.” Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 18 May 2021, https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2021/05/un-human-rights-office-urges-respect-international-law-and-calls-end.

6. “Israel/Gaza: Apparent War Crimes During May Fighting.” Human Rights Watch, 27 May 2021, https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/05/27/israel/gaza-apparent-war-crimes-during-may-fighting.

7. Kingsley, Patrick, and Isabel Kershner. “Israel’s Airstrikes on Gaza Kill Civilians Despite Claims of Targeting Hamas.” The New York Times, 5 Nov. 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/05/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-airstrikes-hamas-civilians.html.

8. Perry, Tom. “Israel-Hamas War Tests Western Support for Israeli Military Doctrine.” Reuters, 1 Nov. 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/analysis-israel-hamas-war-tests-western-support-israeli-military-doctrine-2023-11-01/.

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