Illinois elected leaders blast Trump’s military strikes in Iran: ‘No justification’

CHICAGO - Elected state and congressional leaders in Illinois blasted President Trump and his administration for the early morning military strikes in Iran on Saturday.

The local leaders, mostly Democrats who have routinely opposed the Trump administration’s policies on nearly every front, argued the strikes against Iran were not legally justified and circumvented congressional authority for war.

Here is what they said.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Matteson)

"Overnight, President Trump launched a massive attack against Iran, urged a regime change, and destabilized the entire Middle East region. Already, Iran has retaliated against U.S. military facilities across the region, but President Trump has made it clear that he’s willing to lose U.S. military lives as something that ‘often happens in war.’ Since bombing Iran last June, President Trump has not made clear any imminent threat that Iran poses to the United States.

"This self-proclaimed ‘Peace President’ makes our country more vulnerable. He must answer to the American people and justify why he endangered the lives of our military troops and potentially entered us into another costly, prolonged war in the Middle East. Congress must pass the War Powers Resolution Act, since this President cannot initiate military action without Congressional approval."

U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston)

"The American people overwhelmingly do not want another war in the Middle East, and the last thing our country needs is to be drawn into a conflict that would cost lives and destabilize the region.

"President Trump’s announcement of ‘major combat operations’ was not authorized by Congress, and I fully support a bipartisan War Powers resolution to reclaim our constitutional authority over matters of war.

"I fought for and continue to defend the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which proved that diplomacy, not war, can constrain Iran’s nuclear program and keep Americans safe. Abandoning that approach in favor of reckless escalation puts lives, security, and regional stability at risk.

"We must return to diplomacy, uphold Congress’s authority, and prioritize the safety of U.S. service members and civilians above all else."

U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Highland Park)

"This morning, American service members are in harm’s way — including the enlisted sailors who earned their place in uniform at Naval Station Great Lakes in my district, and reserve soldiers from the 337th MI Battalion whom I helped send off earlier this month as they deployed to the region. As they execute their mission, we are all praying for their success and safe return to their families.

"Our Constitution explicitly gives Congress the exclusive power to declare war. The President of the United States is not allowed to take our nation to war without authorization from Congress. Speaker Johnson should immediately call the House back into session. The Administration must provide Congress with comprehensive classified briefings to understand the threat that justified today’s actions, the goals of the operation, and the strategy for achieving these goals. We need public hearings in House committees. We need formal public debate in the House and the Senate. 

"Since its founding in 1979, Iran has threatened its neighbors and chanted ‘Death to Israel, Death to America.’ The Iranian regime today is an existential threat to our allies in the Gulf and Israel, as well as a serious threat to U.S. interests in the region and around the world, and national security here at home. Heaven forbid Iran were to ever obtain a nuclear weapon. 

"The world must work together to block and then permanently close any pathway for Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. We must address Iran’s development of ballistic missiles and its support for terrorist proxies around the world. The people of Iran are not our enemy, and we should help them free themselves from the oppression of this terrorist regime. The massacre of tens of thousands of Iranian citizens last month fully exposed the evil of the regime: the world will be a better place when it is gone.

"Given this Administration’s failure to engage Congress in classified briefings, public hearings, and formal debate, I will vote to support the War Powers Resolution coming to the floor of the House next week. 

"This is a moment of peril and opportunity. Congress must step up to meet the moment, fulfill its constitutional duties, and ensure American action—with our allies in the region and around the world—leads to a more stable and peaceful Middle East, not another generational entanglement ending in failure."

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin

"Though there is bipartisan support for stopping the development of nuclear weapons in Iran, there is no consensus for another interminable war in the Middle East. I was one of 23 Senators who voted against the war in Iraq. A war in Iran with the goal of regime change could be another long-term military commitment with deadly consequences for thousands of American troops. The rash and unpredictable conduct of President Trump is a well-established worry in many ways but an impulsive commander in chief is a deadly combination."

U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia (D-Chicago)

"A U.S. president is once again sending other people's children to die for a regime change fantasy built on lies - with devastating, destabilizing effects for all involved. Congress must immediately reconvene to vote against this illegal war with Iran."

Gov. JB Pritzker

"No justification, no authorization from Congress, and no clear objective. But none of that matters to Donald Trump — and apparently neither do the safety and lives of American service members.

Donald Trump is once again sidestepping the Constitution and once again failing to explain why he’s taking us into another war. Americans asked for affordable housing and health care, not another potentially endless conflict. God protect our troops."

U.S. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove)

"Iran’s regime is repressive and destabilizing. Its proxies sow chaos across the region. No one disputes that Iran presents serious challenges. Its support for proxy militias, regional interference, and hostility toward its neighbors undermines peace in the Middle East. The United States would welcome a more peaceful and responsible partner in the region.

"But that does not justify unilateral war.

"The President has cited no imminent threat to the United States that would warrant military action without congressional authorization or international support. The threats he referenced were hypothetical and tied to what Iran might do in the future, not an immediate attack requiring unilateral action. That distinction matters under Article I of the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution.

"Even more concerning, the President explicitly acknowledged that U.S. troops may be killed as a result of this unlawful war. That admission underscores exactly why Congress must debate and authorize any such action in advance. Thousands of U.S. service members across the region could now be exposed to missile, drone, or proxy attacks. Our Constitution is clear: our sons and daughters should not be sent into harm’s way without debate and authorization by the people’s representatives in Congress.

"Destabilizing Iran is not cost-free. Iran has the capacity to disrupt oil shipments in the Persian Gulf, activate proxies across the region, and trigger refugee flows that would immediately affect Qatar, the UAE, Turkey, and others. History teaches that calls for regime change, including our own involvement in Iran in 1953, can produce consequences that last for generations.

"If we are serious about confronting Iran, we must lead through diplomacy, coalition-building, financial enforcement, and the rule of law. Congress and the United Nations must be immediately briefed with facts, not spin. The United States is not one individual. Our strength comes from constitutional governance and international credibility.

"Next week, the House will vote on a War Powers Resolution, and I will support it. In the meantime, my thoughts are with our service members and every civilian whose life is now at risk.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Schaumburg)

"By ignoring the limits of his own constitutional power, Donald Trump is risking the lives of Americans in an unauthorized war with no end in sight.

It’s clear — the American people do not want war. The President’s reckless decision to strike Iran puts our service members in harm’s way, jeopardizes regional stability, and risks drawing the United States into yet another forever conflict. By calling this action a war, the President has made clear that he has once again overstepped his authority. The power to go to war is reserved for Congress and Congress alone. As such, I will be voting in support of the War Powers Resolution to rein in this unaccountable President.

In the meantime, I am praying for the safety of our service members."

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