President Donald Trump announced Saturday that U.S. forces dropped bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran, bringing America into the conflict between Iran and Israel.
“A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime. Forodw, Natanz, and Esfahan,” the president said in an address to the nation Saturday evening. He first announced the strikes, which were conducted without congressional authorization, on his Truth Social platform.
“I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.” Iranian state media reported that the three nuclear sites were evacuated “some time ago.”
“Iran, the bully of the Middle East must now make peace,” the president continued. “If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.” He did not mention any progress on diplomatic negotiations.
The U.S. strike comes just over a week after Israel launched dozens of strikes against targets in Iran, with Tehran responding in turn. The attacks ended talks between the U.S. and Iran over a new nuclear deal, after Trump withdrew the U.S. from the previous agreement between the two countries struck during Barack Obama’s second term.
“The type of ordinance used tonight hasn’t been confirmed,” NBC News reported, “but several American B-2 stealth bombers, the only plane type that can carry the 30,000-pound GBU-57 bombs, took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri earlier in the day.”
Trump has argued that Iran is very close to a nuclear weapon. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, however, testified to Congress in March that the U.S. intelligence community did not believe that Iran was building such a weapon.
“I don’t care what she said. I think they were very close to having one,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. NBC News reported Thursday that “a person with knowledge of the matter said the U.S. intelligence community’s view has not changed since Gabbard’s testimony.”
Reaction poured in from politicians after Trump’s announcement of the U.S. strikes Saturday. “This was the right call,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote on X. “The regime deserves it.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson and many other senior Republicans expressed support, as did some Democrats, with Sen. John Fetterman saying “this was the correct move.” Many lawmakers criticized the strikes, though. “This is not our fight,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wrote. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., called the strikes “not constitutional.” On the Democratic side, California Rep. Ro Khanna wrote that “Trump struck Iran without any authorization of Congress” and asked that Congress vote on a war powers resolution he and Massie submitted earlier this week. “No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress,” wrote Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill. “This is an unambiguous impeachable offense.” “The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said. “It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.” Sen. Bernie Sanders learned of the strikes while holding a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “Not only is this news that I just heard this second alarming, that all of you just heard, but it is so grossly unconstitutional,” he told the crowd. “All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right!”
James Downie is an opinion editor for MS NOW Daily.
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