"We've been here before": Rage and mistrust course through Congress on Iran

Skepticism is raging in Democratic quarters that U.S. strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities were not as successful as President Trump described them.Why it matters: On nearly all issues, foreign and domestic, there's a massive trust deficit between the White House and congressional Democrats.Add Iran's nuclear capabilities to that list.Those misgivings will have implications if the situation in Middle East deteriorates and Trump should ever need bipartisan support from Congress.Driving the news: Reports in the New York Times and CNN that Trump and senior officials exaggerated the damage from the bunker-busting bombs spread across Congress this afternoon.The White House both criticized the reporting of a classified assessment and denied the reports' accuracy.What they are saying: "If the press reporting about the impact of last weekend's strikes in Iran is true, and I cannot confirm them, then that might be the reason why the administration postponed our classified briefing today at the very last minute," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor."I'm very concerned about [Trump] distorting, manipulating and even lying about intelligence," Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told Axios on Tuesday. "We've been here before. We went to war in Iraq under false pretenses.""I think we might be less worried about that had we not seen an administration lie us into a war in Iraq in 2002," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told Axios."He has completely stiff armed and stonewalled Congress, and he canceled a briefing that was supposed to take place today," Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told Axios. "There's a lot of mistrust simply because he failed to inform us."Zoom in: Senators and lawmakers are still waiting for their separate classified briefings on the strikes, which were originally scheduled for Tuesday.They were delayed until Thursday in Senate and Friday in the House, with expected briefings from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, both of whom are attending the NATO summit in The Hague with Trump.Still, Democrats expressed outrage at the delay."The real reason?" said Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.)) "He claims he destroyed 'all nuclear facilities and capability;' his team knows they can't back up his bluster and BS."Zoom out: In justifying the strikes, Trump cited his constitutional authority and his inherent presidential prerogatives.He briefed Republican lawmakers ahead of Israel's military action and before the U.S. strikes on Iran's three known nuclear facilities.But Democrats said they were either left in the dark about the Pentagon's weekend mission or received what they deemed to be a perfunctory notification.Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Tuesday he thinks the War Powers Act is "unconstitutional."The bottom line: Kaine still expects a vote on the his war powers resolution this week, which will allow Democrats to formally register their dissent.

Comments

World news

'I met Air India plane crash survivor in hospital and he asked one heartbreaking question'

Express

Gateway megachurch announces it is cutting services as it continues to face blowback from Robert Morris sex-abuse allegations

about 2 hours ago

Independent

An American tourist went on vacation to Turks and Caicos to celebrate his anniversary. Eight days ago he left his Airbnb and hasn’t been seen since

about 2 hours ago

Military leaders aghast as Meta founder Zuckerberg crashes classified Oval Office meeting on fighter jets: report

Independent

New 'MEGAQUAKE' fears as Japan struggles to prepare for disaster that would see 300,000 people killed by giant tremor and tsunamis... and has an 82% chance of striking soon

about 4 hours ago

Comments

Similar News

I've driven 2,500 miles around Iceland – here's the beautiful spots tourists always miss

I feel like I've been gaslit - like the life I had before the war was made up

I’ve been to Glastonbury for free five times – I’d never pay for a ticket

B.C. firefighter denied entry to the U.S.: ‘I don’t know what I’ve done wrong’

Trump is making US intelligence parrot his line on Iran – we’ve been here before

I’ve lived in fear of nuclear war all my life – this is how I’m prepping

‘You’ve been the worst!’ Pete Hegseth browbeats former Fox News colleague for her reporting on Iran strikes

I’ve saved £15k for a house deposit aged 19 – no thanks to my school education

I’ve pulled out of my gold-plated teacher pension – I can’t afford to pay into it

I’m a single woman who loves solo travel – I’ve never felt unsafe

We've suffered enough from the disaster of Brexit. It's time to go back

I’ve read more than 150 LGBTQ+ books – these are the 14 best

I’ve visited every continent – this is what each one has taught me

Bacardi Breezers to BuzzBallz: why gen Z aren’t the booze buzzkills we’ve been led to believe

I’ve seen conflicting advice about equity release – should I go for it?

Fox News rages that Whoopi Goldberg’s Iran take is ‘as racist as anything’ they’ve ever heard

I’m a food editor – I’ve tried hundreds of frying pans, these are the five best

‘I’ve lost hope of overturning Uganda’s brutal anti-LGBT+ law thanks to Trump’s aid cuts’

Senate Republicans circle wagons as Trump beats war drum on Iran: ‘They’ve all had their spines removed’

'I dumped my husband and left my three kids for toyboy - I've got a warning for all women'

World news

'I met Air India plane crash survivor in hospital and he asked one heartbreaking question'

In this special year, Glasgow should reaffirm commitment to Nelson Mandela's values

Fox News host proclaims Paramount’s settlement with Trump as a win for the little guy

Your toddler may have up to 96 chemical substances lurking inside of them, scientists discover

Gateway megachurch announces it is cutting services as it continues to face blowback from Robert Morris sex-abuse allegations

An American tourist went on vacation to Turks and Caicos to celebrate his anniversary. Eight days ago he left his Airbnb and hasn’t been seen since

Military leaders aghast as Meta founder Zuckerberg crashes classified Oval Office meeting on fighter jets: report

Here are all the places in the US that you can see the northern lights tonight

Inside Trump’s Gaza truce deal between Israel and Hamas

With Diddy now a convicted felon, is there anything else he can be tried for?

Make America (Not) Great: Majority of voters worry Trump policies will harm US in long run, poll shows

Why Americans who threatened to leave after Trump’s re-election are staying put

Amazon, Starbucks among companies to face boycotts this month over workers’ rights and DEI policy changes

Trump’s tariffs set to cost American employers $83billion, analysis finds

University of Virginia president resigned after ‘pressure campaign’ from Trump admin to remove him from post

Microsoft to cut another 9,000 jobs in bid to slash costs

Here's how millions of people could lose health insurance if Trump's tax bill becomes law

What to know about Diddy’s sentencing

Lifting two-child benefit cap looks set for delay as price of MPs’ PIP rebellion

I watched every day of Diddy’s trial – what I saw was chilling

Reeves’s tears and Treasury fury: Inside Labour blame game – and MPs want a reshuffle

There is sympathy for Reeves – but none for Starmer

The English towns that reveal what the NHS will look like in 10 years

If keeping the triple lock means retiring at 74, it has to go

The Sandman season 2 release date and UK time, and why there won’t be a S3

Japan's emperor says he will honor Japanese POWs who were held in Mongolia

Hong Kong proposes recognizing same-sex partnerships formed overseas

Debate over Latin Mass heats up after apparent leak of Vatican documents that undermine Pope Francis

House members brave weather, medical hurdles to vote on Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

Teen dies after doing backflip to celebrate starting 'new life' with girlfriend

Major update in desperate search for victim's head after TV star charged with murder

Instagram DOWN as thousands of users report issues viewing posts worldwide

Manitoba RCMP say fatal crashes on the rise after low numbers to start 2025

Hope House Guelph adds programs to improve seniors’ health and well-being

Musk should ‘head back home to South Africa,’ Trump says amid tax bill feud

Live Nation ‘making adjustments’ at Toronto’s Rogers Stadium after complaints

Worsening wildfire conditions in B.C. heighten concerns around province

Figures suggest six-figure payout for former Manitoba Hydro CEO

Winnipeg Jets sign 5 players to identical 2-way deals

Hamas says it's open to a Gaza truce but stops short of accepting a Trump-backed proposal

Wildfire kills 2 people in Spain as parts of Europe bake in heat wave

Iranian president signs bill that suspends cooperation with IAEA, U.N.'s nuclear watchdog

Japan's minority government faces a tough test in the upper house election

No trade concessions apparent from Washington or Tokyo, as U.S. tariffs loom

Canary Islands nightmare as traffic chaos descends on beauty spot popular with Brits

Crisis in Spain as Balearic Island property prices shoot up by another 15%

Probe into wildfires launched as 'large areas' left badly affected

Tesla sales fall by 13% as Musk’s political ties hit brand

Aerial footage shows scene of devastation after huge explosion at fireworks warehouse

Groups are begging FIFA to protect fans planning to visit US for 2026 World Cup from Trump’s immigration policies

House members in mad scramble back to DC to vote on Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ after heading home for July 4

Sean 'Diddy' Combs cleared of most serious racketeering and sex trafficking charges but guilty of prostitution

Baby? Maybe. Women in their 20s are freezing their eggs to 'insure' fertility later

My dad can’t even hold a glass of water – but a PIP assessor took away his benefits

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs not guilty of sex trafficking, but found guilty of prostitution charges

How BRICS Can Survive ‘America First’

Hamas responds to Trump's Israel peace plan for 60-day Gaza ceasefire