The Trump administration is firmly denying that its recent precision strike on Iranian nuclear sites, “Operation Midnight Hammer,” was a “regime change move,” instead characterizing it as a targeted effort to dismantle nuclear weaponization capabilities. The Saturday operation, involving 125 aircraft and 75 precision weapons hitting Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, was carried out without congressional approval, sparking significant controversy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on “Face The Nation,” explicitly stated, “It was not an attack on Iran, it was not an attack on the Iranian people, this wasn’t a regime change move.”
Rubio further clarified that the strike was “designed to degrade and/or destroy three nuclear sites related to their nuclear weaponization ambitions.” Vice President Vance echoed this sentiment on “Meet The Press,” asserting that the U.S. was “at war with Iran’s nuclear program,” not Iran itself, and emphasized the President’s inherent authority to prevent WMD proliferation. He also sought to reassure a war-weary public that this operation would be decisive and not prolong U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
However, the lack of congressional consultation has ignited a fierce debate on Capitol Hill. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), co-author of a bipartisan War Powers Resolution, sharply criticized the President’s actions on “Face The Nation,” stating there was “no imminent threat to the United States” that would bypass Congress’s war-declaring powers. He lamented lawmakers’ absence for fundraising while constitutional authority was “ceded.”
Despite Massie’s dissent, House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly backed Trump, asserting on X that congressional leaders were aware of the “urgency” and that the “imminent danger” justified the rapid strike. He maintained that Trump “fully respects the Article I power of Congress,” citing historical precedent. Nevertheless, several top Democrats, including Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), expressed strong condemnation, highlighting the increased risk to American troops and the alleged violation of the War Powers Act.
