Senators Kaine, Kelly Raise Alarm on Iran Strike’s Risk to US Forces

Democratic Senators Tim Kaine of Virginia and Mark Kelly of Arizona are raising alarm about the increased risk to American troops in the Middle East following the Trump administration’s precision strike on Iranian nuclear sites, “Operation Midnight Hammer,” which was carried out without congressional approval. The Saturday operation, a massive B-2 bomber strike that hit Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, is being defended by officials as a limited, targeted effort against nuclear weaponization, not an act of war against Iran.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on “Face The Nation” that the strike was “designed to degrade and/or destroy three nuclear sites related to their nuclear weaponization ambitions.” Vice President Vance, on “Meet The Press,” reiterated the President’s “clear authority” to prevent WMD proliferation, promising a swift and effective outcome.
However, both Kaine and Kelly vocally criticized the lack of congressional involvement. Sen. Kaine on CBS warned that Trump’s actions escalated the risk for American troops and asserted that the scale of the attack clearly constituted “hostilities” requiring congressional authorization under the War Powers Act. Sen. Kelly on “Meet The Press” echoed this concern, emphasizing that the “clear and imminent threat” condition for unilateral action was not met, thereby putting 40,000 U.S. troops in the region at greater risk.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, co-author of a bipartisan War Powers Resolution, also criticized the President’s actions, stating there was “no imminent threat to the United States.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, defended Trump, citing “imminent danger” and congressional awareness of the urgency.