Senate Republicans are largely standing with President Donald Trump as he escalates U.S. involvement in Israel’s war with Iran.
On Tuesday, the president demanded that Iran lay down its weapons in an “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” and said that he knew exactly where Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding.
Trump insisted that Iran was “very close” to a working nuclear weapon. He also disregarded testimony from his own Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who said in March that Iran was not working toward building a nuclear weapon.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters that Trump would have constitutional authority to bomb Fordow, which is located deep inside a mountain near the city of Qom.
“Under Article II of the Constitution, the president is the commander in chief, and he has the authority and responsibility to keep Americans safe and defend American servicemen and women,” Cruz said.
“Congress has the authority to declare war, and war is considered sustained and longstanding hostilities,” he maintained.
“A single bombing run, historically, has not been understood to require congressional authorization to engage in sustained hostility, to engage in continued warfare, does require congressional coming to the floor.”
Other Republicans echoed Cruz’s words on Iran.
While Republicans in the House like Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and MAGA hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia have criticized the idea of U.S. involvement in Israel’s war with Iran, the Senate still has plenty of majority members who have a more traditionally Republican interventionist foreign policy.
“I think he's doing quite well actually,” Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a member of the Armed Services Committee, told The Independent. “He's been very well measured in allowing Israel to do what they think they need.”
Ernst said if necessary, Trump would consult Congress.
“I think we'll need to understand the situation and get briefings on it, and then we'll take measure as necessary,” she said.
Republicans in the Senate have historically been uneasy with Trump’s plans to negotiate with Iran. In March, 51 Republican Senators sent a letter to the Trump administration regarding its negotiations with Iran.
During Trump’s first administration, he withdrew with the Iran nuclear agreement brokered by former president Barack Obama. Trump also put in place sanctions. But in the second administration, he dispatched his envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to negotiate with Iran in Oman while maintaining hawkish rhetoric on Iran.
But on Thursday, Israel began its strikes on Iran, which led to Iran responding in kind. Trump called for a deal between Israel and Iran, but has also signaled support for Israel, which many Republicans in the Senate welcomed.
“Right now, we should defend Israel against any counter attacks, and then I'll leave it to the administration to mount about a plan that comports with what we want to do here in Congress,” Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a hawk on Iran, told The Independent.
But support is not unanimous even among Republicans.
Sen. Rand Paul, the sole Republican who did not sign the letter, told The Independent that he would have more to say about war with Iran. But he did have concerns.
“It’s always been my belief that you don't go to war without the approval of Congress, and bombing another country is obviously war,” the libertarian said.
Only a handful of Democrats in the Senate, meanwhile, have voiced their full-fledged opposition to war with Iran.
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia introduced a war powers resolution. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent and socialist from Vermont who caucuses with the minority party, also introduced a resolution with other Democrats.
“We should not stand by why Donald Trump tries to drag America to another endless war in the Middle East,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a member of the Armed Services Committee, who joined the resolution, told The Independent.
“There's evidently a serious medical problem with the Senate Republicans,” the Massachusetts senator said.
“They've all had their spines removed,” said Warren. “None of them seem capable of standing up to Donald Trump, which means they cannot fulfill their oaths to the Constitution of the United States.”
But many Republicans will likely continue to support Trump’s efforts on Iran.
Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota showed up to the Senate wearing a lapel pin shaped like a fighter plane with Israel’s flag on it.
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