House Democratic veterans back moves to limit Trump's military authority
Source: The Guardian
Mon 23 Jun 2025 11.41 EDT
Last modified on Mon 23 Jun 2025 21.31 EDT
A group of 12 House Democratic military veterans have thrown their weight behind efforts to constrain Donald Trump’s military authority, announcing they will support a War Powers Act resolution in response to the US president’s go ahead for airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The veterans – some of whom served in Iraq and Afghanistan – were strongly critical of Trump’s decision to launch what they called “preventive air strikes” without US congressional approval, drawing explicit parallels to the run-up to some of America’s longest recent wars.
“Twenty years ago, in their rush to appear strong and tough, politicians – from both parties – failed to ask the hard questions before starting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” they wrote in a letter led by Representative Pat Ryan to Trump sent on Monday. “We refuse to make those same mistakes.”
Their intervention comes as multiple war powers resolutions are gaining momentum on Capitol Hill, with the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, pushing for a vote as early as this week to rein in the president’s military actions. The veterans did not specify which measure they would support, as competing versions are being drafted by different Democratic factions alongside a bipartisan effort.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/23/war-power-resolution-iran-house-democrats
The OP is with respect to the HOUSE version.
SENATE version is discussed here - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143484463
Link to PRESS RELEASE (AND LETTER TEXT) - CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN LEADS FELLOW DEMOCRATIC VETERANS IN ASSERTING CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY OVER WAR POWERS
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