Expert confident Iran’s nuclear program is ‘no longer’ after massive US strike
A top expert on the Iran nuclear program believes the regime’s atomic program has been obliterated by Saturday night’s strikes by the United States. “The nuclear program is no longer,” Jonathan Schanzer, Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a “national security and foreign policy” think tank, told Fox News Digital. “Sources in Israel report with high confidence that this chapter is over. Responsible parties must still remove nuclear materials from the facility in Isfahan. But that appears to be the final page to turn,” he continued. President Donald Trump said during his address on Saturday night that “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.” TRUMP DECLARES ‘VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK’ ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AS US FORCES STRIKE 3 KEY SITES Fox News reported earlier on that Isfahan was “the hardest target,” according to a senior U.S. official. “Everyone was talking about and focused on Fordow, but Isfahan was actually the hardest target,” the official said on background. The U.S. used B-2 bombers to carry out the mission. A senior U.S. official also told Fox News that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu communicated after the strikes and that Israel had been informed ahead of time. ISRAEL’S ACTIONS AGAINST IRAN CREATE STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN NUCLEAR TALKS, EXPERTS SAY Lisa Daftari, Iran expert and Editor-in-Chief of The Foreign Desk, told Fox News Digital, “Both Israeli and U.S. officials understand that anything less than total destruction of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure will only result in a temporary pause, not a permanent end. But to truly end Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the U.S. and its allies must commit to a campaign—beyond these targeted strikes—backed by sustained pressure, intelligence, and the credible threat of further action if Iran attempts to rebuild. “To ensure the eradication of the regime’s nuclear weapons capability, the U.S. must maintain persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to detect any attempts by Iran’s regime to disperse, hide or rebuild its nuclear infrastructure. This would be coupled with continued diplomatic isolation and strict multilateral sanctions blocking the regime’s access to nuclear technology, materials and financing,” she said. Trump announced that the U.S. had struck nuclear sites in Iran – a major development amid rising tensions in the region, as Israel and Iran continued to launch airstrikes against each other. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Saturday night. “All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he continued. Fox News’ Sean Hannity said on Saturday night that President Donald Trump had given him details on the U.S. strikes in Iran. According to the “Hannity” host, the U.S. used six bunker-buster bombs — each of which weighs 15 tons — in its strikes on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility. The bombs were dropped from American B-2 stealth bombers. During a press conference on Sunday morning, the number of bunker busters used was updated to 14 by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Caine. ISRAEL SAYS IT KILLED IRANIAN COMMANDER WHO HELPED FUND, ARM HAMAS “President Trump took decisive leadership and action to eliminate the last vestiges of Iran’s nuclear weapons program, after Israel’s sustained strikes, which seriously damaged the atomic weapons supply chain from uranium conversion to enrichment, and all the way to weaponization,” Andrea Stricker, FDD’s Director of Nonproliferation and Biological Weapons told Fox News Digital. “While Tehran’s program is likely set back by years, the United States and Israel need to ensure the regime’s highly enriched uranium stockpiles and all secret advanced centrifuges are fully recovered and destroyed — which means more work ahead,” she added. Fordow had two entrances and one ventilation shaft, which likely served as the entrance points for the Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs). Additionally, 30 Tomahawk missiles launched from U.S. submarines were used in the attacks on the Nanatz and Isfahan facilities. There is speculation that the missiles were shot from an Ohio Class Submarine, but there has been no confirmation.
Fetterman backs Trump after Iran strikes: ‘The correct move’
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa, backed President Donald Trump’s decision to have the United States attack three of Iran’s most fortified underground nuclear sites amid rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East and intensifying Israeli and U.S. military operations against Iranian targets. Fetterman called the move “correct” in a post on X just minutes after Trump shared the news on Truth Social. “As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS,” Fetterman said. “Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I’m grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.” TRUMP ADDRESSES NATION ON ‘SPECTACULAR MILITARY SUCCESS’ OF US STRIKES ON IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITIES TRUMP DECLARES ‘VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK’ ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AS US FORCES STRIKE 3 KEY SITES Trump declared the operation a “very successful attack” targeting Iran’s key nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, incluidng Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump wrote in the announcement. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this.” FAR LEFT, ANTI-ISRAEL VOICES DECRY TRUMP IRAN STRIKE, DISMISS IDEA HE’S ‘ANTIWAR PRESIDENT’ He concluded his statement with a call for de-escalation: “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.” The overnight strike against Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility involved six bunker buster bombs, Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity Saturday night. Additionally, 30 Tomahawk missiles were launched from U.S. submarines in the attacks on Natanz and Isfahan facilities. The strike, marking a major escalation in an already volatile landscape, comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel to eradicate Iran’s offensive missile capabilities. The extent of the damage caused to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure so far remains unclear. Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.
Hegseth, military brass describe ‘incredible and overwhelming success’ of US strikes on Iran
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine held a press conference from the Pentagon early Sunday morning to relay details on the U.S. military’s successful strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. “Last night, on President Trump’s orders, U.S. Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran’s nuclear program,” Hegseth said Sunday morning from the Pentagon. “It was an incredible and overwhelming success. The order we received from our commander in chief was focused. It was powerful, and it was clear we devastated the Iranian nuclear program. But it’s worth noting the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people for the entirety of his time in office,” Hegseth continued. The press conference was held following President Donald Trump addressing the nation at 10 pm on Saturday evening, just hours after he announced the successful strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. “The mission demonstrated to the world the level of joint and allied integration that speak to the strength of our alliance and our joint forces. As President Trump has stated, the United States does not seek war, but let me be clear we will act swiftly and decisively when our people, our partners or our interests are threatened. Iran should listen to the United States and know that he means it,” Hegseth continued. Caine addressed the media and explained the strikes, dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” included the use of submarines, dozens of Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, and the “longest B-2 spirit bomber mission since 2001.” “At approximately 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time last night and just prior to the strike package entering Iran, a U.S. submarine in the Central Command area of responsibility launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets as often as the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace. The US employed several deception tactics,” Caine said. “This was a highly classified mission with very few people in Washington knowing the timing or nature of this plan, I’ll refer you to the graphic on the side as I walk you through some of the operational details. At midnight Friday into Saturday morning, a large B-2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States as part of the plan to maintain tactical surprise. Part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy. A deception effort, known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa,” he continued. TRUMP ADDRESSES NATION ON ‘SPECTACULAR MILITARY SUCCESS’ OF US STRIKES ON IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITIES Trump announced the U.S. had struck a trio of nuclear facilities in Iran via a Truth Social post on Saturday evening, that was not preceded by any media leaks of prior indication such strikes were imminent. The president ordered U.S. B-2 stealth bombers to carry out the strikes against Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities. Five to six bunker-buster bombs struck the Fordow nuclear site, Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity shortly after announcing the strikes Saturday night. The Isfahan facility, like Fordow, is believed to be built underground, and required precision targeting and extensive intelligence to successfully strike, Fox News has reported. Meanwhile, thirty Tomahawk missiles were fired against Natanz and Isfahan from U.S. submarines. Trump later addressed the nation from the White House while flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where he announced Iran’s nuclear facilities had been “obliterated” and that the country has been backed into a corner and “must now make peace.” TRUMP DECLARES ‘VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK’ ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AS US FORCES STRIKE 3 KEY SITES “Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump said. “And Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not. future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.” Trump had repeatedly urged Iran to make a deal on its nuclear program before striking its nuclear facilities, but the country pulled out of ongoing talks with the U.S. scheduled for June 15 in Oman and refused to return to the table in the days following. Israel preemptively ordered strikes on Iran June 12 as Israeli intelligence indicated Iran’s nuclear program was rapidly progressing. “A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan,” Trump said during his address. “Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success.” TRUMP PROMISES TO RESPOND WITH ‘FULL STRENGTH AND MIGHT’ OF US MILITARY IF IRAN ATTACKS AMERICA “For 40 years, Iran has been saying, ‘Death to America. Death to Israel.’ They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs,” Trump continued. “That was their specialty. We lost over a thousand people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate in particular.” The president said that the U.S. worked like a team with Israel in the lead-up to the strikes “I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team, like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they’ve done. And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the
Watch: Bernie Sanders reacts to Trump’s Iran strikes in real time at ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ rally
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was delivering remarks at a “Fighting Oligarchy” rally in Tusla, Okla., on Saturday night when President Donald Trump announced the United States had successfully attacked three nuclear sites in Iran. An aide interrupted Sanders’ remarks to deliver the message Trump had just blasted off on Truth Social. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump said in the post. Sanders read the piece of paper with Trump’s Truth Social post to his supporters, shaking his head as the socialist senator processed what the president had just announced. “No more wars!” the crowd chanted. BERNIE SANDERS SAYS ISRAELI PM ‘WRONG’ BOTH IN THE PAST AND NOW: ‘WE MUST NOT GET INVOLVED IN NETANYAHU’S WAR’ Trump added in the post: “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.” BERNIE SANDERS SAYS LARGEST ‘FIGHTING OLIGARCHY’ RALLY WITH AOC IS MAKING TRUMP, MUSK ‘VERY NERVOUS’ Sanders nodded along as the crowd continued to chant, “No more wars!” before responding to the news in real time. He said the news was not only “alarming,” but “so grossly unconstitutional.” “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,” Sanders shouted. Sanders joins the bipartisan coalition in Congress who have called out the “unconstitutionality” of Trump striking Iran without congressional approval. A bipartisan War Powers Resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives this week as strikes between Israel and Iran raged on, and the world stood by to see if Trump would strike. Congress has the sole power to declare war under Article I of the Constitution. The War Powers Resolution seeks to “remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic State of Iran” and directs Trump to “terminate” the deployment of American troops against Iran without an “authorized declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military forces against Iran.” “The American people do not want more war, more death!” Sanders said. “It might be a good idea if we concentrated on the problems that exist in Oklahoma and Vermont rather than getting involved in another war that the American people do not want.” But Sanders told the crowd not to give up on their vision for America’s future. “In this moment in American history, what we have got to do in Vermont and Oklahoma, in Texas, all over this country, is stand up and fight back, and tell them this is our country!” Sanders said. Sanders has been a vocal opponent of the United States joining Israel in its war against Iran as Trump weighed striking its nuclear facilities. “Netanyahu is not the President of the United States,” Sanders said on social media earlier this week. “He should not be determining U.S. foreign and military policy. If the people of Israel support his decision to start a war with Iran, that is their business and their war. The United States must not be a part of it,” he added. The democratic socialist has been a vocal opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war against Gaza since Israel retaliated following Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. After Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities last week, Sanders said it was “just his latest violation of international law,” likening Netanyahu to a “war criminal.” The Vermont senator was speaking at his second rally of the day, part of his southern swing of the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour that Sanders started in response to Trump’s sweeping second-term agenda. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Tx., and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Tx., are slated to join the Vermont senator at his rallies in Texas on Sunday. And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., joined Sanders on his Western swing of the tour earlier this year. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The tour targets deep red districts currently held by Republicans, a strategy picked up by Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., who hosted town halls in Republican congressional districts, and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) through their “People’s Town Halls” across the United States. Sanders also held a rally in House Speaker Mike Johnson’s hometown of Shreveport, La., on Saturday.
WATCH: GOP senators call for end to funding for sanctuary cities: ‘Enough is enough’
Republican senators told Fox News Digital that they are fed up with liberal sanctuary cities like Los Angeles attempting to impede federal immigration authorities from enforcing the law, some suggesting that it is time the legislative branch intervened to pull their funding. “We have to say, ‘Enough is enough,’” said Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala. “I don’t understand why we would continue to give federal dollars to someone who doesn’t abide by federal law. I mean, think about that. That is very simple.” Speaking with Fox News Digital in the Senate office building halls, Britt said, “There’s been no more-litigated issue over the last four years than the millions and millions of illegal migrants coming across our border.” “What a sanctuary city says is, ‘You can commit a crime, we will allow for lawlessness, and we will not turn you over to the federal authorities.’ I mean, think about that. That is absolute insanity, and we’re not going to stand for it anymore,” she said. NASHVILLE MAYOR STANDS BEHIND DOXING ICE AGENTS EVEN AFTER OFFICIALS SAID HIS ACTIONS PUT THEM IN DANGER “We have enabled that kind of bad behavior for too long,” said Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio. “Look, the reality is, to use the term for my colleagues, ‘Nobody is above the law.’ So, if you have a mayor or county executive or a governor, whoever you want to say, that’s not following federal law, that’s completely unacceptable. And the tool that we have here is federal funding.” “I’ve called for that in my campaign, and I think all Republicans, we should stick firm on that,” he added. Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., simply told Fox News Digital that sanctuary cities blocking immigration “shouldn’t” receive federal funding. “I mean, first off, if you’re a sanctuary city, you’re not doing the right thing for your citizens. You’re not keeping them safe,” said Scott. “I think all of us are really frustrated because we don’t have an immigration system that works. There’s people who want to come to our country legally and work in our country and go home. That’s what we ought to be focused on, how do we improve that, but make sure that if you’re not vetted, you shouldn’t be able to come into this country.” MASSIVE IDENTITY THEFT SCHEME LED BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNCOVERED AFTER RAID AT MEATPACKING PLANT On the other side of the aisle, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., told Fox News Digital that sanctuary city officials not cooperating with ICE and federal authorities “is not an issue in Virginia, because . . . I’m not aware of a sanctuary city in Virginia.” Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, responded to Fox News Digital by saying, “I don’t have any comment on that, I’m focused right now on what’s going on in the Middle East.” Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said, “I think that everybody should follow the law” or “accept the consequences.” “I can’t tell you that I know legally what are the consequences that a community deliberately disobeying something from the federal government. But whatever those consequences are, if a community makes that decision, then it has to bear the consequences,” Cassidy added. US ATTORNEY NARROWLY ESCAPES KNIFE ATTACK BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, BLAMES NEW YORK’S SANCTUARY POLICIES Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Tenn., said that sanctuary policies “led in many ways to these LA riots, that the L.A. police weren’t willing to help when our ICE agents were in trouble.” “What we cannot tolerate is local officials impeding ICE officers from doing their job, and that’s exactly what’s happening in some of these sanctuary cities,” said Marshall. “So, if that means the power of the purse, then so be it. But whatever we do, President Trump took an oath, I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution to make all of us safe.”
Americans found to have increasing appetite for active US global leadership, led by MAGA Republicans: Report
Nearly two-thirds of Americans support increased engagement in international affairs, according to a newly released annual summer survey from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute. The survey, conducted by polling firms Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research, marks the third year the Ronald Reagan Institute has conducted a summer survey asking Americans about their attitudes towards foreign policy. It found 64% of Americans overall favor the United States taking a leadership role in international affairs, which is up more than 20% since 2023. The trend of Americans leaning towards international engagement, as opposed to isolationism, has seen growing support across both parties – even the America-first MAGA wing of the Republican Party, which leads the way with 73% support for greater international involvement, according to the new survey. Meanwhile, 69% of Republicans support the idea, as well as 65% of Democrats, the survey found. The survey was released less than a day after the Trump administration ordered a massive surprise strike on Iranian nuclear sites in a move designed to cripple Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure. Approximately 73% of registered voters questioned in a recent Fox News national survey said they think Iran poses a real security threat to the U.S. KURILLA WARFARE: MEET THE GENERAL LEADING US MILITARY FORCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST AMID IRAN CONFLICT “Americans are not retreating from the world,” the survey’s introduction stated. “They are rallying around a foreign policy grounded in peace through strength, strong alliances, and morality in foreign policy.” According to the summer survey, which was conducted before the recent Israeli airstrikes on Iran, 45% of those questioned said they would support Israel conducting targeted airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities if diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran faltered. Meanwhile, 37% said they opposed Israeli airstrikes, while 18% said they were unsure. Partisan affiliation, while less of a factor when survey respondents were asked generally whether the United States should lead on the international stage, appeared to play a larger role in opinions about engagement pertaining to Iran. Sixty percent of Republicans said they support Israeli airstrikes, but that support dropped to 35% among Independents and 32% for Democrats. ‘THE FIVE’ CONSIDERS ‘ALL OPTIONS’ ON TRUMP’S TABLE FOR ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT In addition to attitudes about U.S. leadership in global affairs across the world, the annual summer survey from the Ronald Reagan Institute also covers other foreign policy-related questions pertaining to human rights, trade, defense spending and more. One question sought to gauge an appetite for “territorial expansion.” President Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled interest in acquiring strategic assets like Greenland and the Panama Canal, while he even floated potentially garnering control of the Gaza Strip amid the area’s ongoing issues with terrorism. The survey found that 55% of Americans supported pursuing acquisition of the Panama Canal, while 47% supported the move to acquire Greenland. However, there is also a severe distinction between Republicans and Democrats on this issue, with most Democrats opposed and a majority of Republicans in favor of territorial expansion. When it comes to the Gaza Strip, only 33% of the survey respondents overall indicated they were in favor of such a move, including 24% of Democrats and 47% of Republicans. This year’s summer survey from the Reagan Institute sampled 1,257 adults across the United States between May 27 and June 2. You can see the full survey here.
Trump earns bipartisan praise for decisive action against Iran’s nuclear program
Exuberant Republicans, and at least one prominent Democrat, lauded President Donald Trump‘s leadership on Saturday after the U.S. completed an attack on three Iranian nuclear sites. “Good. This was the right call. The regime deserves it. Well done, President @realDonaldTrump,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote on X. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., also said Trump made the right call. “As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS,” he said on X. “Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I’m grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.” TRUMP DECLARES ‘VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK’ ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AS US FORCES STRIKE 3 KEY SITES Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, wrote: “’Peace through strength’ means ensuring our existential enemies don’t acquire the most lethal and catastrophic weapons known to man.” And former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz called Trump a “peacemaker.” “President Trump basically wants this to be like the Solimani strike – one and done. No regime change war. Trump the Peacemaker!” he wrote on X. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that the president “made the correct decision to strike Iran’s nuclear sites. Iran made the choice to continue its pursuit of a nuclear weapon and would only be stopped by force. It would be a grave mistake to retaliate against our forces.” Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said on X, “Iran has waged a war of terror against the United States for 46 years. We could never allow Iran to get nuclear weapons. God bless our brave troops. President Trump made the right call and the ayatollahs should recall his warning not to target Americans.” Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, said Trump’s decision was the “right one. The greatest threat to the safety of the United States and the world is Iran with a nuclear weapon. God Bless our troops.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., wrote on X that the U.S. “military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says.” ‘INSTINCTS FOR RESTRAINT’: SENATE DIVIDED OVER WHO GETS TO DECLARE WAR Johnson said that the president gave Iran “every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement. President Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated. That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity.” He added that Trump’s “decisive action prevents the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, which chants ‘Death to America,’ from obtaining the most lethal weapon on the planet.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP However, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who authored a war powers resolution to prevent the U.S. from getting involved in Iran said the attacks were “not constitutional.” Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, echoed Massie’s sentiments. “Trump struck Iran without any authorization of Congress. We need to immediately return to DC and vote on @RepThomasMassie and my War Powers Resolution to prevent America from being dragged into another endless Middle East war,” he wrote on X.
PHOTO GALLERY: Trump in Situation Room during Iran strikes
See the reactions of President Trump and other top officials as they look on from the Situation Room on Saturday night as US forces strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
‘Not constitutional’: Congress invokes new War Powers Resolution to reject Trump’s strikes on Iran
Co-sponsors of the War Powers Resolution, Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., were quick to criticize President Donald Trump for greenlighting attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran Saturday night. “This is not constitutional,” Massie said, responding to Trump’s Truth Social post announcing the strikes on Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan in Iran. The bipartisan War Powers Resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives this week as strikes between Israel and Iran raged on, and the world stood by to see if Trump would strike. Sources familiar told Fox News Digital that both House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., were briefed on the strikes ahead of time. ‘INSTINCTS FOR RESTRAINT’: SENATE DIVIDED OVER WHO GETS TO DECLARE WAR “Trump struck Iran without any authorization of Congress. We need to immediately return to DC and vote on @RepThomasMassie and my War Powers Resolution to prevent America from being dragged into another endless Middle East war,” Khanna said. ‘SQUAD’ MEMBERS, GOP LAWMAKER JOIN FORCES TO REJECT US INVOLVEMENT IN ISRAEL-IRAN WAR This week, lawmakers sounded off on the unconstitutionality of Trump striking Iran without congressional approval. Congress has the sole power to declare war under Article I of the Constitution. The War Powers Resolution seeks to “remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic State of Iran” and directs Trump to “terminate” the deployment of American troops against Iran without an “authorized declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military forces against Iran.” As Trump announced his strikes against Iran – without congressional approval – Khanna said representatives should return to Capitol Hill to prevent further escalation. And in the upper chamber, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., introduced his own war powers resolution ahead of the bipartisan duo in the House. While the resolution had been gaining steam with his colleagues, momentum could be stalled due to the strikes. His resolution is privileged, meaning that lawmakers will have to consider it. The earliest it could be voted on is Friday. Kaine argued in a statement that “the American public is overwhelmingly opposed to the U.S. waging war on Iran.” “And the Israeli Foreign Minister admitted yesterday that Israeli bombing had set the Iranian nuclear program back ‘at least 2 or 3 years,’” he said. “So, what made Trump recklessly decide to rush and bomb today? Horrible judgment. I will push for all senators to vote on whether they are for this third idiotic Middle East war.” This week on Capitol Hill, Massie, the conservative fiscal hawk who refused to sign onto Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” built an unlikely bipartisan coalition of lawmakers resisting the U.S.’ involvement in the Middle East conflict. “This is not our war. But if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution,” Massie said. Massie, whom Trump threatened to primary during the House GOP megabill negotiations, invited “all members of Congress to cosponsor this resolution.” By Tuesday night, the bipartisan bill had picked up 27 cosponsors, including progressive “Squad” members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. Across the political aisle, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., signaled her support, writing that Americans want an affordable cost of living, safe communities and quality education “not going into another foreign war.” “This is not our fight,” Greene doubled down on Saturday night, before Trump’s Truth Social announcement. The bill’s original co-sponsors also include progressive Democrat Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, who called it unconstitutional for “Trump to go to war without a vote in Congress.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump would make his decision about whether to bomb Iran within two weeks. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump said Saturday night. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leaders last week, which the Islamic Republic considered a “declaration of war.” Strikes between Israel and Iran have raged on since, as Trump said he was considering whether to sign off on U.S. strikes against Iran. The Jewish State targeted Iran’s nuclear capabilities after months of failed negotiations in the region and heightened concern over Iran developing nuclear weapons. But Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to Geneva, said Iran “will continue to produce the enriched uranium as far as we need for peaceful purposes,” as Israel, and now the U.S., have issued strikes against Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Trump addresses nation on ‘spectacular military success’ of US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities
President Donald Trump addressed the nation just after 10 p.m. Eastern Time following the U.S. military’s successful strikes on a trio of Iranian nuclear facilities. “A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan,” he said. “Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success.” “For 40 years, Iran has been saying, ‘death to America. Death to Israel.’ They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over a thousand people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate in particular,” Trump continued. Trump’s address followed him announcing just on Thursday – via his press secretary Karoline Leavitt – that he would make a decision on whether to strike Iran within a two-week period. “I have a message directly from the president, and I quote, ‘based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,’” Leavitt said at a White House briefing quoting Trump. Trump has repeatedly urged Iran to make a deal on its nuclear program before striking its nuclear facilities, but the country pulled out of ongoing talks with the U.S. scheduled for June 15 in Oman and refused to return to the table in the days following. Israel preemptively ordered strikes on Iran on June 12 as Israeli intelligence indicated Iran’s nuclear program was rapidly progressing. TRUMP DECLARES ‘VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK’ ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AS US FORCES STRIKE 3 KEY SITES Trump announced on Saturday evening via a Truth Social post, which was not preceded by media leaks, that the U.S. had carried out three successful attacks. Fox News’ Sean Hannity reported on Saturday that the U.S. used six bunker-buster bombs —each of which weighs 15 tons — in its strikes on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility. The bombs were dropped from American B-2 stealth bombers. Additionally, 30 tomahawk missiles launched from U.S. submarines were used in the attacks on the Nanatz and Isfahan facilities, he reported. TRUMP PROMISES TO RESPOND WITH ‘FULL STRENGTH AND MIGHT’ OF US MILITARY IF IRAN ATTACKS AMERICA Ahead of the Saturday evening strikes, six B-2 stealth bombers from an Air Force base in Missouri appeared to be en route to a U.S. Air Force base in Guam, U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News on Saturday. Fox New’s Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin said during an appearance Saturday evening as news broke of the strikes that reports of the bombers were likely part of the “misleading tidbits put out there to suggest that maybe President Trump had had put off the decision.” “Those six B-2 bombers that were heading west towards Guam, they would not have made it to Iran in time to take part in this strike. So, that suggests to me that there was an additional B-1 package that perhaps flew eastward from Whiteman Air Force Base. Again, this was all part of the deception. There was a great deal of sort of misleading tidbits put out there to suggest that maybe President Trump had put off the decision and that this would happen two weeks from now.” She said this while speaking with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Saturday evening. ISRAEL’S ACTIONS AGAINST IRAN CREATE STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN NUCLEAR TALKS, EXPERTS SAY Israel launched pre-emptive strikes on Iran on June 12 after months of attempted and stalled nuclear negotiations and subsequent heightened concern that Iran was advancing its nuclear program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared soon afterward that the strikes were necessary to “roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.” He added that if Israel had not acted, “Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time.” Dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” the strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure and killed a handful of senior Iranian military leaders. Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin and Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.