Trump Goes to War With Iran
What this means for our democracy and norms
This evening, Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. had struck three of Iran’s nuclear sites, entering the war with Iran. News is breaking as I write this, so this will be based on what we know so far. NYT is reporting, according to a U.S. official, “the strikes were complete” and “no further follow up attacks were expected.” Meaning the strikes were successful.
I am not a military analyst or expert, nor is that the purpose of this project. What is pertinent for us here, is how this went down, and what that means for our democracy and norms.
Before we get started, if you are someone who prays, please pray for our country, and our military troops in the region, who are now in grave danger. If you don’t pray, send your thoughts or wishes, or whatever it is you do to hope for the best.
One thing we do know from the history of this region: these strikes tonight will likely mark the beginning, not the end. I want to cover what we know so far on this historic night.
Was it Constitutional?
No. In a word no. Since Iran did not attack the U.S., Trump needed to go before Congress to seek approval to do what he already did. His strikes were unconstitutional.
As I wrote earlier today, the Republicans allowed this to happen. They control the House and Senate, and neither our House Speaker or Senate Majority Leader is condemning him, let alone doing anything other than praising him, tonight.
Trump’s junior assistant, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump “made the right call, and did what he needed to do.” Thune also praised Trump.
Why This Matters