King, Pingree Challenge Trump’s Authority to Strike Iran Without Congress
Sen. Angus King and Rep. Chellie Pingree said Congress, not the president alone, must have a say in war.
Several members of Maine's congressional delegation raised doubts on Feb. 28 about President Donald Trump's constitutional power to attack Iran after the United States and Israel carried out joint strikes on the country, the Bangor Daily News reported.
Independent Sen. Angus King said in a statement that the strikes left him with several questions, including whether Trump had the authority to order them and what the plan is now that, as he described it, the goal has shifted from eliminating Iran's nuclear capacity to regime change. He said removing an authoritarian government is only a first step, and the harder task is making sure what follows is not worse.
Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to call Congress back right away for a vote on a war powers resolution with bipartisan backing, saying no president of either party should be able to take the country to war alone.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins had said on Feb. 27 that Trump should strike Iran only as a "last resort" while talks over a possible nuclear deal continued. After the strikes, she said in a statement that Iran's nuclear weapons pursuit, missile development and backing of terrorist proxies threaten the security of the U.S. and its allies.
Rep. Jared Golden, a 2nd District Democrat who is leaving office, called the stalled negotiations regrettable and said the president must consult Congress over the next few days. His main concern, he said, is the safety of U.S. service members in the region.
This story was first reported by Bangor Daily News.
