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Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman is breaking from most of his fellow Democrats, saying he's "baffled" by colleagues who won't support U.S. military action against Iran — and he's calling their opposition "empty sloganeering."
The U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran over the weekend, following weeks of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iran quickly retaliated with attacks on Israel and Gulf states, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The strikes also killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian leaders.
According to The Hill, Fetterman posted on X Monday morning, saying, "Every member in the U.S. Senate agrees we cannot allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. I'm baffled why so many are unwilling to support the only action to achieve that. Empty sloganeering vs. commitment to global security — which is it?"
Fetterman told 'Fox & Friends Weekend' on Saturday, "I might be a Democrat, but in this specific case, the president is absolutely correct to do these kinds of actions, and now we have Israel's back."
His comments put him at odds with most Senate Democrats — but in step with most Senate Republicans. Politico reports that Fetterman is expected to vote against a bipartisan war powers resolution, which the Senate is set to consider as soon as Wednesday (March 4). The resolution, sponsored by Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, would require congressional approval before President Trump can take additional military action against Iran.
Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut pushed back hard during an appearance on CBS News's 'Face the Nation' on Sunday. "Nobody in this country is asking for war with Iran," Murphy told host Margaret Brennan. "This president is intentionally tanking our economy. He's the most corrupt president in the history of our nation, and Americans want him to focus on the crises here at home."
Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona also voiced his opposition on X Sunday, writing that "Americans do not want" U.S. military operations in Iran, and that the strikes were "not in our national interest."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pushed back on Fetterman's stance. "Well, John Fetterman knows better," Jeffries told CNN on Monday. "Article I of the Constitution explicitly provides Congress with the authority to declare war. Period, full stop."
The White House, meanwhile, defended the military action. A White House official told The Hill that President Trump's "first instinct is always diplomacy," adding that the administration "warned Iran that there would be dire consequences if they failed to make a deal." The official said, "Unfortunately, the Iranian regime refused to engage realistically with the United States."
A White House memo sent to House Republicans Monday outlined four military objectives for the Iran operation, including preventing the country from ever producing a nuclear weapon. The memo stated the operation is expected to last "approximately 4-5 weeks" and predicted the defeat of the Iranian regime, though it stopped short of calling the mission one of official regime change.
The war powers resolution is expected to fail in both the Senate and the House, where a similar vote is scheduled for Thursday (March 5). With Fetterman a firm "no," Democrats would need to pick up at least five Republican votes in the Senate to pass the measure — a difficult task, as most GOP senators are siding with President Trump.
Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, who had previously shown willingness to check presidential war powers, said Monday he would oppose the resolution after receiving an official notification from the administration confirming no ground troops are currently involved. Several Republican senators, including Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Todd Young of Indiana, have declined to say how they'll vote or called themselves undecided.
President Trump is expected to address House Republicans at their annual retreat on Monday, March 9, at his Doral, Florida resort — his first direct remarks to lawmakers since the Iran strikes began.