Iran hawks are maneuvering to have their war without their fingerprints on it
Published
February 27, 2026 6:30AM (EST)
President Donald Trump speaks with members of the Joint Chiefs of staff before delivering his State of the Union address on February 24, 2026 amid a U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf threatening Iran. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
As the Trump administration surrounds Iran with warships at a level not seen since the Iraq invasion, many in Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, sought to avoid a vote on a war powers resolution — the type of bill constitutionally required for the president to legally wage war. According to strategists, the opposition to the vote is a symptom of a body of lawmakers who support the war, but who don’t want to be on the record, for fear of accountability.
