Congress Must Prevent Trump’s March to an Illegal War on Iran

February 23, 2026 – In response to the massive U.S. military building in the Middle East and Presidents Trump’s threats of the use of force against Iran, Center for International Policy Executive Vice President Matt Duss issued the following statement:

“President Trump has neither congressional authorization nor any basis in international law to attack Iran. He has provided no evidence that Iran poses an urgent threat to the United States. Like the June 2025 bombings that failed to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, another U.S. strike would be an illegal act of war. As with his false claims that last year’s attack had ‘completely and totally obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear capacity, the president has now dropped the pretense that military intervention would be aimed at protecting Iranian protestors who bravely faced a deadly crackdown to demonstrate against the regime’s many human rights violations. 

The American people overwhelmingly do not support launching another costly and bloody war in the Middle East. Polling this month shows that only about one in five U.S. voters favor military action against Iran, while 74 percent of Democrats and a majority of independents oppose it. Even 60 percent of Republicans either oppose or do not know if they would support an attack.

Concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, as well as the regime’s ballistic missile program and grave abuses of Iran’s own people, should be addressed through diplomacy. The fact that current U.S.-Iran talks are reportedly proceeding toward a potential deal which shares key features with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that Trump broke in 2018 is a positive sign amid the rumblings of imminent war – and further validation that important security objectives are often best achieved at the negotiating table.

With Trump sending mixed signals over the timing and scope of possible strikes — and given his record of attacking even when active diplomacy is taking place – Congress must act swiftly to make clear that the president does not have its authorization for the use of the U.S. Armed Forces against Iran. Relevant measures introduced under the War Powers Resolution in both the House of Representatives and Senate should be brought to a vote and passed as soon as possible. Individual lawmakers should vocally indicate their support for these resolutions and make clear their opposition to another reckless war of choice.”

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