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From condemnation to endorsement, WA Congress members react to U.S. strikes against Iran

caption: Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., speaks about the first weeks of the Trump administration, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
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Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., speaks about the first weeks of the Trump administration, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington.
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Washington’s Democratic delegation has decried the U.S. bombing of nuclear sites in Iran Saturday as an unconstitutional attack with unknown consequences.

Meanwhile, Washington's two Republican Congress members voiced support for President Donald Trump's unilateral decision to strike.

“We can all agree that Iran should never possess a nuclear weapon. But the American people do not want to begin a war with Iran, and Trump does not have the unilateral authority to start one,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations committee, said in a statement.

Murray called on the Trump administration to share intelligence and seek congressional approval before an attack.

“It is critical that Congress ask important questions before approval — Congress needs to understand what intelligence the administration is acting upon, what the goal is, what the endgame is, and whether we have built an international coalition of support," Murray said. "None of this happened."

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D) said the U.S. should work with allies to avoid a larger war in the Middle East.

She called on Congress to reassert its constitutional authority to “head off future reckless or shortsighted Presidential actions on issues of war and trade.”

“Diplomacy and alliance building are the only long-term solutions that will bring about an enduring peace and prosperity in the Middle East,” Cantwell said in a post on X.

RELATED: 4 takeaways on the U.S. airstrikes on Iran — and what might come next

Those sentiments were echoed by Washington’s more progressive House Democrats. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D) expressed concern that the strikes against Iran could lead to years of war.

“Trump’s unconstitutional and escalatory strikes risk drawing US troops and the American people — who are overwhelmingly opposed — into another forever war,” Jayapal said in a post on X. “Congress must immediately exercise our duty to restrain this President.”

Democratic Rep. Kim Schrier also warned on X that the bombing would have “widespread consequences that we cannot predict.”

Iran responded to the U.S. attack Monday by launching a missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar. No military personnel were killed in the attack, which President Trump dismissed as a “very weak response.”

RELATED: Iran attacks a U.S. base in Qatar

Among Washington’s Republican delegation, reaction to the weekend strikes were more positive and congratulatory. U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner commended the “operational secrecy and execution from our military leadership and forces.”

“This is a scenario that has been rehearsed for a long time, but it was still a challenging feat to pull off,” Baumgartner said in a post on X.

Rep. Dan Newhouse (R) called the strikes “decisive” and blamed Iran for refusing to end uranium enrichment and halt its nuclear program.

“I stand with our ally Israel as we work together to end this dangerous regime’s efforts towards a nuclear weapon of mass destruction,” Newhouse said in a post on X. “Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.”

In the wake of Saturday's strike, members of the Trump administration made the rounds on Sunday news shows to emphasize that the U.S. does not want a protracted war with Iran or regime change.

“We want to end their nuclear program, and then we want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement,” Vice President J.D. Vance said on “Meet the Press.”

Appearing on “Face the Nation,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said what happens next depends on Iran.

“If they choose the path of diplomacy, we’re ready. We can do a deal that’s good for them, the Iranian people, and good for the world,” Rubio said. “If they choose another route, then there’ll be consequences.”

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