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

I write with grave concern over emerging reporting that President Trump is seriously considering additional military strikes on Iran. Let me be clear: the Iranian regime’s repression of its own people, its human rights abuses, and its destabilizing regional conduct are deeply troubling. The United States should stand firmly with the Iranian people and support diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian measures that advance accountability and human rights. But another military strike is not the answer. Under Article I of the Constitution, the power to declare war rests with Congress — not the President. The executive branch does not possess unilateral authority to initiate a new war with Iran absent a specific authorization from Congress. The 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force were not blank checks for open-ended hostilities against a sovereign state that was not responsible for the September 11 attacks. The framers deliberately vested the war power in Congress to prevent exactly this kind of escalation driven by executive impulse rather than national consensus. A strike on Iran risks rapid regional escalation, retaliation against U.S. personnel, and a broader conflict that could draw in additional powers. We have seen how quickly “limited” military actions become protracted wars with devastating human and financial costs. Recent history demands humility. The lessons of Iraq — flawed intelligence, mission creep, destabilization, and long-term regional consequences — should caution every member of Congress against permitting another unauthorized conflict in the Middle East. If the administration believes military action is necessary, it must make its case to Congress and to the American people. Anything less is an erosion of constitutional order. Congress must: • Publicly reaffirm that no military action against Iran is authorized absent explicit congressional approval. • Invoke and enforce the War Powers Resolution if hostilities are initiated. • Hold immediate oversight hearings on the administration’s legal justification for any proposed strike. • Block funding for unauthorized military operations against Iran. We must pursue diplomatic solutions, regional de-escalation, and sustained multilateral pressure — not another war. The Iranian people deserve freedom and dignity. American service members deserve not to be sent into harm’s way without lawful authorization. And the Constitution deserves to be upheld. No war on Iran. No unauthorized strikes. Congress must act.