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← Members Who Opposed

Lawmaker Statements Against the Iran War, February and March 2026

Evidence rating: CONFIRMED for quotations linked to the members' own posts. STRONG for those collected in a public document that links each line to its source post; we list the post links as the document gives them.

Before the first bomb fell on February 28, 2026, dozens of members of Congress said publicly that they did not want this war and that Congress had not authorized it. A public document titled "LAWMAKER STATEMENTS OPPOSING AN UNAUTHORIZED ATTACK ON IRAN," dated February 2026, collected their posts with links (the document). A second document gathered statements from the day of the strikes (second document). These are the words a parent can quote back to a representative.

Senators, before the strikes​

  • Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.): "No war with Iran." (post)
  • Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.): "Trump promised to get us out of wars. Now, he's threatening another expensive forever war in the Middle East. No more broken promises." (post)
  • Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.): "Just in time for another illegal war against Iran. The new Veterans created by this war will get screwed by the Trump administration while the rich get their tax cut." (post)
  • Tim Kaine (D-Va.): "Virginia families have already suffered enough because of wrongheaded forever wars in the Middle East… I have filed a bipartisan resolution to block this war against Iran unless Congress votes to approve it." (post)
  • Andy Kim (D-N.J.): "The American people do not want to go to war with Iran. This is another dangerous escalation by Trump without a clear plan or consent from Congress. A reminder to the President: you don't get to unilaterally decide when we go to war." (post)
  • Ed Markey (D-Mass.): "Americans don't want another endless war in the Middle East. We want health care, not warfare." (post)
  • Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.): "Trump claimed he'd pursue peace… but he's doing exactly the opposite. No war with Iran." (post) In April: "I've repeatedly called on my colleagues in Congress to pass a war powers resolution and rein in Trump's illegal war with Iran. We need to get it done. Now." (post)
  • Chris Murphy (D-Conn.): "He bombed Iran and it did nothing - Iran is weeks away again from a nuclear weapon." (post) See Chris Murphy.
  • Jack Reed (D-R.I.): "A preemptive attack against Iran at this time would be a strategic misstep, and I am concerned that such recklessness could spark an uncontrolled conflict." (post)
  • Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.): "We must enforce the War Powers Act and compel this administration to consult with Congress and explain to the American people the objectives and exactly why he is risking more American lives." (via Andrew Desiderio)
  • Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.): "Again, the 'No New Wars' president seems to be on the verge of attacking another country. Trump may've told Netanyahu about his plans, but only Congress has the power to declare war." (post)
  • Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.): "The American people voted for lower prices, not another war in the Middle East ... The Constitution is clear: the president doesn't have the authority to start a war without Congress' approval. I won't support another endless war." (post)

House members, the lines about troops and votes​

  • Greg Casar (D-Texas): "The American people do not want a war with Iran. My entire adult life, politicians have been sending other people's kids — our U.S. troops — to die in reckless, endless wars. Enough." (post)
  • Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.): "That's why I proudly co-sponsored H.Con.Res. 38, an Iran War Powers Resolution to prevent U.S. military action." (post)
  • Warren Davidson (R-Ohio): "War requires Congressional authorization. There are actions short of war, but no case has been made." (post)
  • Dwight Evans (D-Pa.): "I will support Rep. Khanna's discharge petition to bring a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to the House floor and rein Trump in." (post)
  • Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.): a cosponsor of the Khanna-Massie resolution, "to prevent Trump from putting servicemembers in harm's way." (post)
  • Ro Khanna (D-Calif.): "@RepThomasMassie & I have a War Powers Resolution to debate & vote on war before putting U.S. troops in harm's way." (post)
  • John Larson (D-Conn.): "Only Congress has the power to declare war ... Americans don't want to send our troops into another costly, never-ending conflict in the Middle East." (post)
  • Thomas Massie (R-Ky.): "I will vote to put America first which means voting against more war in the Middle East." (post)
  • Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Adam Smith (D-Wash.), and Jim Himes (D-Conn.), in a joint statement: "We strongly oppose preemptive U.S. military action against Iran, which endangers U.S. personnel and risks drawing Israel and Gulf partners into a wider conflict." (post)
  • Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.): "Without a single vote in Congress, the Trump admin is building up the largest military force in the Middle East since Iraq. The American people do not want another catastrophic regime change war." (post)
  • Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.): "We have not seen anything about an imminent threat that would necessitate a significant strike…. To think that this would be a walk in the park? The president is really not thinking this through carefully and he needs to consult with Congress." (via Just Foreign Policy)
  • Jason Crow (D): "The President shouldn't be planning a war on Truth Social. What's the strategy? Will there be boots on the ground? Does Donald Trump want regime change in Iran? The American people deserve an open & honest debate. Congress must be involved in any decision sending us to war." (Facebook reel)

The first document also lists short "no war" statements from Reps. Ami Bera, Don Beyer, Joaquin Castro, Katherine Clark, James Clyburn, Madeleine Dean, Laura Friedman, Pramila Jayapal, Hakeem Jeffries, Hank Johnson, Robin Kelly, Jim McGovern, Seth Moulton, Jerry Nadler, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Scott Peters, Mark Pocan, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Melanie Stansbury, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Gabe Vasquez, and James Walkinshaw.

The day of the strikes​

From the second document (link):

  • Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.): "This morning, Donald Trump launched direct strikes against Iran without congressional authorization—endangering regional stability, American service members, and U.S. national security. Make no mistake—this is illegal ... Congress must act now to stop this war before it escalates."
  • Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.): "When we put American service members' lives at risk, we must ensure the course is worthy and the objective is clear ... Last year, we were told that Iran's nuclear capability was obliterated and it would take years to rebuild. Now we're told it poses an existential threat to our country and requires war to destroy it."
  • Dina Titus (D-Nev.): "This is an attempt to launch a long-sought after, ill-conceived regime change war that will destabilize Iran as well as the entire Middle East with millions of people being displaced and forced to flee."
  • Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.): "The American people do not want a war with Iran. Trump is acting on the violent fantasies of the American political elite and the Israeli apartheid government, ignoring the vast majority of Americans who say loud and clear: No More Wars."
  • Nikema Williams (D-Ga.): "His reckless strikes in Iran, without Congressional authorization, are unconstitutional. They put American troops at risk and drag us toward another endless conflict the American people did not ask for."

After the strikes​

  • Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Leader: "The framers of the United States Constitution gave Congress the sole power to declare war ... Donald Trump failed to seek Congressional authorization prior to striking Iran" (via Chad Pergram).
  • Rep. Dan Goldman (D), on a reported $200 billion war request: "I do not intend to vote for any money to support this lawless effort ... How much are you going to risk American troops? What's going on with the ground troops that are moving over there?" (Grabien).
  • Patty Murray (D-Wash.): "Why is there money for a war no one asked for, but no money for health care here at home? I'll keep voting to end this war again and again. NO WAR WITH IRAN" (post).

Earlier: 2020​

The pattern is older than this war. After Soleimani, Rep. Jim McGovern wrote: "Americans don't want a new generation of young people who see family, friends & neighbors sacrificed to another disastrous foreign war with no end in sight. Trump has no authorization for war with Iran. Period" (McGovern on X, January 6, 2020). Rep. Pramila Jayapal, after the House passed an Iran war-powers resolution: "War is devastating. For our troops & their families ... It makes clear that we haven't authorized war w/Iran" (Jayapal on X, January 9, 2020). The House vote that month was 224 to 194 on H.Con.Res. 83 (Historians for Peace and Democracy).

Status: All members named on this page are alive.

Sources​

Research captures: twitter/t47__v557.md, t47__v558.md, t47__v562.md, t47__v563.md, t46__v549.md

Last Updated: 2026-09-26

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