1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I am writing once again to demand an end to the disastrous and illegal war with Iran. With each passing day, the consequences of this conflict grow more dangerous, more destabilizing, and more tragic. Yet Congress continues to allow this war to proceed without authorization, without a clear objective, and without the support of the American people. Recent decisions by this administration are already producing perverse geopolitical outcomes. In an attempt to manage the economic disruption caused by this war, the United States has suspended sanctions in ways that are now delivering a political and economic victory to Russia. Kremlin officials are openly celebrating the fact that the United States has effectively reaffirmed Moscow’s central role in global energy markets. In other words, this war—initiated by the United States—has ended up strengthening one of our primary adversaries and indirectly aiding Russia’s ongoing war effort against Ukraine. This is reckless strategy and deeply counterproductive to American interests. Meanwhile, the human cost continues to rise. Six American service members were killed this week in the crash of a U.S. refueling aircraft in Iraq, bringing the total number of American troops killed in this conflict to at least thirteen. These are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, whose lives have been placed at risk in a war that Congress never authorized and that the American public does not support. It is not unpatriotic to oppose this war. On the contrary, the most responsible way to protect American service members is to end an unnecessary conflict that exposes them to escalating danger. The risk of regional escalation is also increasing rapidly. Turkey, a NATO ally, has now intercepted another Iranian missile that crossed into its airspace—the third such interception in just ten days. Our allies have shown remarkable restraint, but repeated violations of their airspace and proximity to the conflict make it increasingly likely that this war could widen dramatically. If additional countries are pulled into direct confrontation, the consequences for global security could be catastrophic. At the same time, Israel’s expanding military operations in Lebanon are producing a growing humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of people have already been killed and thousands wounded, including many children, and large numbers of civilians have been displaced from their homes. Entire communities are being devastated. Lebanon has long suffered under the influence of armed groups backed by Iran, yet ordinary Lebanese civilians are now paying the price for a conflict that threatens to destroy their cities, their infrastructure, and their economic future. The scale of destruction increasingly resembles the devastation we witnessed in Gaza. This trajectory is deeply alarming and profoundly destabilizing. Even from a strictly defensive perspective, the United States is placing its own national security at risk. Reports indicate that the U.S. is rapidly depleting critical weapons stockpiles, including missile interceptors and other munitions essential to homeland and allied defense. As these stockpiles shrink, America becomes more vulnerable while adversaries such as Russia and China watch carefully. A war that weakens America’s defensive readiness while strengthening its rivals cannot possibly be considered strategic success. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to act. The American people did not authorize this war. Congress did not authorize this war. Yet it continues. I urge you to take immediate action: • Block any additional funding for this war. Not one more dollar should be appropriated for an unauthorized conflict. • Demand that the President come before Congress to explain the legal justification, strategic objectives, and exit strategy for this war. • Reassert Congress’s constitutional authority over war powers and refuse to allow the executive branch to continue bypassing it. • Work urgently toward de-escalation and diplomacy before this conflict spirals into a far larger regional or global war. This conflict is already costing lives, destabilizing allies, empowering adversaries, and weakening America’s global standing. The longer it continues, the more difficult it will be to contain the damage. Congress must act now to bring this war to an end.