Trump’s Iran War Drags On as Senate Sits Silent and Top Military Leaders Are Fired

The Trump administration’s reckless Iran war continues to spiral out of control while Congress remains largely absent. For the fifth time, Senate Democrats have tried—and failed—to impose constitutionally mandated limits on President Trump’s authority to wage war in Iran, only to be blocked by Republican senators. This ongoing refusal to hold the executive branch accountable is fueling a crisis with real human and economic costs.

President Trump’s April 7 social media threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Iran failed to meet his demands was met with some Republican criticism—but not enough to force action. Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been purging experienced military leaders, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Secretary of the Navy John Phelan. George is just one of at least 19 admirals and generals Hegseth has fired, demoted, or reassigned, raising serious questions about the administration’s military leadership and judgment.

Negotiations with Iran have stalled again, and clashes between Israel and Hezbollah threaten to ignite a wider regional conflict. Despite these dangers, Trump has requested a $1.5 trillion defense budget even as U.S. munitions stockpiles reportedly run low. The result is a directionless war with mounting casualties—13 U.S. service members killed so far—and rising costs felt by Americans through skyrocketing fuel prices.

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) bluntly condemned Congress’s inaction, saying lawmakers have had multiple chances to demand the president seek congressional approval before deepening the conflict. “The cost of this conflict cannot continue to be sustained,” Cantwell said. “Diplomatic efforts that allow the U.S. and regional allies to verify Iran does not possess nuclear weapons should be our goal.”

Friday marks Day 60 of this undeclared war—under the War Powers Act, Trump must either get congressional approval or begin withdrawing troops, though he can extend this deadline by 30 days. With so much at stake, the American people cannot afford for Congress to keep looking the other way while the Trump administration runs roughshod over constitutional limits and military expertise.

The Senate’s silence is complicity in a war spiraling out of control. It’s past time for Congress to step up and demand accountability before more lives and taxpayer dollars are wasted on this disastrous conflict.