“An ILLEGAL Act”—Murphy Slams IRAN Strikes

Senator Chris Murphy accuses President Trump’s military actions against Iran of being stunningly unlawful, raising questions about the legality and aftermath of these controversial strikes.

At a Glance

  • Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) has labeled President Trump’s recent airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as “illegal.”
  • Murphy argues the strikes violate the War Powers Resolution because they lacked congressional approval and were not in response to an imminent threat.
  • When asked about impeachment, Murphy dodged but said Trump’s second-term conduct is “much more lawless” than what led to his first impeachment.
  • The Senate recently rejected a resolution that would have required the president to seek congressional approval for further military action against Iran.

An “Illegal” Act of War

Senator Chris Murphy, a leading Democratic voice on foreign policy, has launched a blistering critique of President Donald Trump’s recent military strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites, calling the action “illegal” and a violation of the U.S. Constitution. In an interview with NBC News, Murphy argued that the president does not have the authority to unilaterally launch an attack against a sovereign nation without the consent of Congress.

“It is clear that this is illegal,” Murphy stated, emphasizing that the administration had not presented any evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify bypassing Congress.

A Question of War Powers

The dispute centers on the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which was enacted to limit the president’s ability to commit the U.S. to an armed conflict without congressional approval. The resolution requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without a formal declaration of war or authorization from Congress.

Murphy’s argument is that Trump’s strike was an act of war that required prior authorization. However, his position does not currently have majority support in the Senate. The chamber recently rejected a resolution that would have forced the president to seek congressional approval before taking further military action against Iran.

Dodging the “I-Word”

When asked if the “illegal” strikes were grounds for impeachment—a call made by other progressive Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—Senator Murphy deflected. “That’s a decision the House makes. That’s not a decision the Senate makes,” he responded.

However, he immediately followed up with a sharp comparison. “But I will say, I mean, if you compare his conduct in this administration to the conduct that he got impeached for in the first administration, his conduct in this administration is much worse, much more lawless, and much more unconstitutional,” Murphy said. The comments highlight the deep and growing constitutional conflict between the Democratic-led Senate and the Republican White House over the authority to take the nation to war.

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