U.S. Democrats introduce resolution to rein in Trump's use of military in Iran
Trump's Republican Party holds a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and it is unlikely any resolution restricting Trump's actions could pass both chambers.
Iran targeted a U.S. base in Qatar on Monday in retaliation. The Israel-Iran war, which began on June 13 when Israel attacked its regional rival, further raised tensions in a region already on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023.
The joint statement issued late on Monday by Democratic U.S. Representatives Jim Himes, Gregory Meeks and Adam Smith came hours after Trump claimed on social media Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire.
'President Trump must not be allowed to start a war with Iran, or any country, without Congressional approval,' the lawmakers said, adding that Trump ordered the strikes 'without meaningful consultation or Congressional authorization.'
Opinion: U.S. bombing raid on Iran raises countless questions despite apparent ceasefire
Analysis: Donald Trump's claim that Iran's nuclear sites were 'obliterated' seems stretched
Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers had called on Congress to rein in Trump's use of military force in Iran and prevent U.S. involvement in the conflict. Many Democratic U.S. lawmakers said Trump's actions were unconstitutional and that it was Congress that had the power to declare war on foreign countries.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said earlier on Monday it was not the time to consider a war powers resolution.
Trump's allies insist he had the authority to take unilateral action against Iran to eliminate what they called a potential nuclear threat posed by Tehran.
The Democratic lawmakers said Trump's actions appeared broader.
'The president has posted on social media about regime change, undermining any claim that this was a narrowly tailored operation to eliminate a nuclear threat,' the Democratic lawmakers said, referring to a Sunday post in which Trump raised the prospect of overthrowing Iran's government.
'No thoughtful deliberation nor careful planning occurred here - and serious actions demand serious debate, not presidential impulse,' they added.
Israel is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons and says its war against Iran aims to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons.
Iran, which says its nuclear program is peaceful, is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty while Israel is not.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
3 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Trump administration ordered by federal judge to halt immigration arrests in California
A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to halt indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in seven California counties, including Los Angeles. Immigrant advocacy groups filed the lawsuit last week accusing U.S. President Donald Trump's administration of systematically targeting brown-skinned people in Southern California during its ongoing immigration crackdown. The plaintiffs include three detained immigrants and two U.S. citizens, one who was held despite showing agents his identification. The filing in U.S. District Court asked a judge to block the administration from using what they call unconstitutional tactics in immigration raids. Immigrant advocates accuse immigration officials of detaining someone based on their race, carrying out warrantless arrests, and denying detainees access to legal counsel at a holding facility in downtown LA. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said in an e-mail that 'any claims that individuals have been 'targeted' by law enforcement because of their skin colour are disgusting and categorically FALSE.' McLaughlin said 'enforcement operations are highly targeted, and officers do their due diligence' before making arrests. Judge Maame E. Frimpong also issued a separate order barring the federal government from restricting attorney access at a Los Angeles immigration detention facility. U.S. detainees describe worm-filled food, inhuman treatment at 'Alligator Alcatraz' migrant centre Protesters and federal agents clash during immigration raid at Southern California farm Frimpong issued the orders the day after a hearing during which advocacy groups argued that the government was violating the Fourth and Fifth amendments of the constitution. Immigrants and Latino communities across Southern California have been on edge for weeks since the Trump administration stepped up arrests at car washes, Home Depot parking lots, immigration courts and a range of businesses. Tens of thousands of people have participated in rallies in the region over the raids and the subsequent deployment of the National Guard and Marines. The order also applies to Ventura County, where busloads of workers were detained Thursday while the court hearing was under way after federal agents descended on a cannabis farm, leading to clashes with protesters and multiple injuries. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the recent wave of immigration enforcement has been driven by an 'arbitrary arrest quota' and based on 'broad stereotypes based on race or ethnicity.' When detaining the three day labourers who are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, all immigration agents knew about them is that they were Latino and were dressed in construction work clothes, the filing said. It goes on to describe raids at swap meets and Home Depots where witnesses say federal agents grabbed anyone who 'looked Hispanic.' ACLU attorney Mohammad Tajsar said Brian Gavidia, one of the U.S. citizens who was detained, was 'physically assaulted ... for no other reason than he was Latino and working at a tow yard in a predominantly Latin American neighbourhood.' Tajsar asked why immigration agents detained everyone at a car wash except two white workers, according to a declaration by a car wash worker, if race wasn't involved. Representing the government, attorney Sean Skedzielewski said there was no evidence that federal immigration agents considered race in their arrests, and that they only considered appearance as part of the 'totality of the circumstances' including prior surveillance and interactions with people in the field. In some cases, they also operated off 'targeted, individualized packages,' he said. 'The Department of Homeland Security has policy and training to ensure compliance with the Fourth Amendment,' Skedzielewski said. Lawyers from Immigrant Defenders Law Center and other groups say they also have been denied access to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in downtown LA known as 'B-18' on several occasions since June, according to court documents. Lawyer Mark Rosenbaum said in one incident on June 7 attorneys 'attempted to shout out basic rights' at a bus of people detained by immigration agents in downtown LA when the government drivers honked their horns to drown them out and chemical munitions akin to tear gas were deployed. Skedzielewski said access was only restricted to 'protect the employees and the detainees' during violent protests and it has since been restored. Rosenbaum said lawyers were denied access even on days without any demonstrations nearby, and that the people detained are also not given sufficient access to phones or informed that lawyers were available to them. He said the facility lacks adequate food and beds, which he called 'coercive' to getting people to sign papers to agree to leave the country before consulting an attorney. Attorneys general for 18 Democratic states also filed briefs in support of the orders. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were already barred from making warrantless arrests in a large swath of eastern California after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in April.
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
State Department lays off over 1,300 employees under Trump administration plan
Retired State Department employees and supporters rally outside the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the State Department, in Washington, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department fired more than 1,300 employees on Friday in line with a dramatic reorganization plan from the Trump administration that critics say will damage America's global leadership and efforts to counter threats abroad. The department sent layoff notices to 1,107 civil servants and 246 foreign service officers with assignments in the United States, according to a senior department official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. Notices said positions were being 'abolished' and the employees would lose access to U.S. State Department headquarters in Washington and their email and shared drives by 5 p.m., according to a copy obtained by The Associated Press. As fired employees packed their belongings, dozens of former colleagues, ambassadors, members of U.S. Congress and others spent a warm, humid day protesting outside. Holding signs saying, 'Thank you to America's diplomats,' and 'We all deserve better,' they mourned the institutional loss from the cuts and highlighted the personal sacrifice of serving in the foreign service. 'We talk about people in uniform serving. But foreign service officers take an oath of office, just like military officers,' said Anne Bodine, who retired from the U.S. State Department in 2011 after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'This is not the way to treat people who served their country and who believe in 'America First.'' While lauded by U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and their Republican allies as overdue and necessary to make the department leaner and more efficient, the cuts have been roundly criticized by current and former diplomats who say they will weaken U.S. influence and the ability to counter existing and emerging threats abroad. State Department Cuts Retired State Department employees and supporters cheer to recognize the service of fired State Department employees, leaving the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the State Department, in Washington, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The layoffs are part of big changes to U.S. State Department work The Trump administration has pushed to reshape American diplomacy and worked aggressively to shrink the size of the federal government, including mass dismissals driven by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency and moves to dismantle whole departments like the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Education Department. USAID, the six-decade-old foreign assistance agency, was absorbed into the U.S. State Department last week after the administration dramatically slashed foreign aid funding. A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the layoffs to start, while lawsuits challenging the legality of the cuts continue to play out. The department had advised staffers Thursday that it would be sending layoff notices to some of them soon. In a May letter notifying U.S. Congress about the reorganization, the department said it had just over 18,700 U.S.-based employees and was looking to reduce the workforce by 18 per cent through layoffs and voluntary departures, including deferred resignation programs. 'It's not a consequence of trying to get rid of people. But if you close the bureau, you don't need those positions,' Rubio told reporters Thursday during a visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 'Understand that some of these are positions that are being eliminated, not people.' Foreign service officers affected will be placed immediately on administrative leave for 120 days, after which they will formally lose their jobs, according to an internal notice obtained by AP. For most civil servants, the separation period is 60 days, it said. State Department Cuts Retired State Department employees and supporters cheer to recognize the service of fired State Department employees as they leave the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the State Department, in Washington, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Protesters gather to criticize the job cuts Inside and just outside the U.S. State Department, employees spent over an hour applauding their departing colleagues, who got more support -- and sometimes hugs -- from protesters and others gathered across the street. As speakers took to a bullhorn, people behind them held signs in the shape of gravestones that said 'democracy,' 'human rights,' and 'diplomacy.' 'It's just heartbreaking to stand outside these doors right now and see people coming out in tears, because all they wanted to do was serve this country,' said Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat who worked as a civilian adviser for the U.S. State Department in Afghanistan during the Obama administration. Robert Blake, who served as a U.S. ambassador under the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, said he came to support his peers at a very 'unjust time.' 'I have a lot of friends who served very loyally and with distinction and who are being fired for nothing to do with their performance,' Blake said. Gordon Duguid, a 31-year veteran of the foreign service, said of the Trump administration: 'They're not looking for people who have the expertise ... they just want people who say, 'OK, how high'' to jump. 'That's a recipe for disaster,' he added. The American Foreign Service Association, the union that represents U.S. diplomats, said it opposed the job cuts during 'a moment of great global instability.' 'Losing more diplomatic expertise at this critical global moment is a catastrophic blow to our national interests,' the AFSA said in a statement. 'These layoffs are untethered from merit or mission.' As the layoffs began, paper signs started going up around the U.S. State Department. 'Colleagues, if you remain: resist fascism,' said one. An employee who was among those laid off said she printed them about a week ago, when the U.S. Supreme Court cleared way for the reductions. The employee spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. She worked with about a dozen colleagues to put up the signs. They focused on bathrooms, where there are no security cameras, although others went in more public spaces. 'Nobody wants to feel like these guys can just get away with this,' she said. State Department Cuts State Department employees carry boxes out of the Harry S. Truman Building, the headquarters of the State Department, in Washington, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The State Department is undergoing a big reorganization The State Department is planning to eliminate some divisions tasked with oversight of America's two-decade involvement in Afghanistan, including an office focused on resettling Afghan nationals who worked alongside the U.S. military. Jessica Bradley Rushing, who worked at the U.S. Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, known as CARE, said she was shocked when she received another dismissal notice Friday after she had already been put on administrative leave in March. 'I spent the entire morning getting updates from my former colleagues at CARE, who were watching this carnage take place within the office,' she said, adding that every person on her team received a notice. 'I never even anticipated that I could be at risk for that because I'm already on administrative leave.' The U.S. State Department said the reorganization will affect more than 300 bureaus and offices, as it eliminates divisions it describes as doing unclear or overlapping work. It says Rubio believes 'effective modern diplomacy requires streamlining this bloated bureaucracy.' The letter to U.S. Congress was clear that the reorganization is also intended to eliminate programs — particularly those related to refugees and immigration, as well as human rights and democracy promotion — that the Trump administration believes have become ideologically driven in a way that is incompatible with its priorities and policies. State Department Cuts State Department employees applaud as their colleagues leave the State Department headquarters in the Harry S Truman Building, Friday, July 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ___ By Matthew Lee, Farnoush Amiri And Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Trump tours Texas flood sites and defends officials amid mounting questions about response
U.S. President Donald Trump, center, greets first responders as he observes flood damage in Kerrville, Texas, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) KERRVILLE, Texas — U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday toured the devastation from catastrophic flooding in Texas and lauded state and local officials, even amid mounting criticism that they may have failed to warn residents quickly enough that a deadly wall of water was coming their way. Trump has repeatedly promised to do away with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of his larger pledges to dramatically shrink the size of government, and he's fond of decrying officials in Democrat-run states hit by past natural disasters and tragedy. But the president struck a far more somber and sympathetic tone while visiting America's most populous Republican state - highlighting the heartbreak of what happened while effusively praising elected officials and first responders alike. 'The search for the missing continues. The people that are doing it are unbelievable,' Trump, seated with officials around a table with emblazoned with a black-and-white 'Texas Strong' banner, said at a makeshift emergency operations center inside an expo hall in Kerrville. He later added, 'You couldn't get better people, and they're doing the job like I don't think anybody else could, frankly.' Since the July 4 disaster, which killed at least 129 people and left more than 170 missing, the president has been conspicuously silent on his past promises to shutter FEMA and return disaster response to the states. Instead, he's focused on the once-in-a-lifetime nature of what occurred in central Texas' Hill Country and its human toll. 'We just visited with incredible families. They've been devastated,' the president said of a closed-door meeting he and first lady Melania Trump had with the relatives of some of those killed or missing. Nancy Epperson, right, and Brooklyn Pucek, 6, visit a memorial for flood victims along the Guadalupe River on Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Nancy Epperson, right, and Brooklyn Pucek, 6, visit a memorial for flood victims along the Guadalupe River on Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Honoring the victims Trump's shift in focus underscores how tragedy can complicate political calculations, even though he has made slashing the federal workforce a centerpiece of his administration's opening months. He spent a lot of time Friday discussing the victims from Camp Mystic, the century-old all-girls Christian summer camp where at least 27 people were killed. 'They were there because they loved God. And, as we grieve this unthinkable tragedy, we take comfort in the knowledge that God has welcomed those little beautiful girls into his comforting arms in heaven,' Trump said. The first lady described meeting 'beautiful young ladies' from the area who she said gave her a 'special bracelet from the camp in honor of all the little girls that lost their lives.' She promised to return to support the camp in the future. Trump approved Texas' request to extend the major disaster declaration beyond Kerr County to eight additional counties, making them eligible for direct financial assistance to recover and rebuild. 'All across the country Americans' hearts are shattered,' he said. 'I had to be here as president.' Despite saying that he didn't want to talk politics, Trump couldn't help himself. During the roundtable, he bragged briefly about his administration reducing the cost of eggs around the country and, in a response to a question about Democratic criticisms of the flood response, said, 'All they want to do is criticize.' 'They're getting just absolutely clobbered 'cause everyone sees what an incredible job the governor did,' Trump said of Democrats. 'Everybody in this room, everybody at this table in particular.' In praise of FEMA He also still insisted 'we've got some good people' running FEMA. That is nonetheless a far cry from his call mere weeks ago to begin 'phasing out' FEMA. At the White House, Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, similarly dodged questions Friday about FEMA's future. He said that the agency has billions of dollars in reserves 'to continue to pay for necessary expenses.' 'We also want FEMA to be reformed,' Vought said. 'The president is going to continue to be asking tough questions of all of us agencies, no different than any other opportunity to have better government.' On the ground in devastated communities, meanwhile, some state and local officials have faced questions about how well they were prepared and how quickly they acted -- including if warning systems might have given more people time to evacuate. President Donald Trump, left, speaks as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott listens during a roundtable discussion with first responders and local officials at Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas, during a tour to observe flood damage, Friday, Jul... President Donald Trump, left, speaks as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott listens during a roundtable discussion with first responders and local officials at Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas, during a tour to observe flood damage, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Asked about such concerns during his appearance at the operations center in Kerrville, Trump called a reporter 'evil' and said he thought 'everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances.' 'I admire you, and I consider you heroes,' Trump said of the officials around him. He also praised a long list of Texas Republicans and had especially kind words for Rep. Chip Roy, who represents some of the hardest-hit areas. A staunch conservative, Roy initially opposed Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending package but ultimately supported it. 'He's not easy, but he's good,' Trump said of Roy. The congressman, for his part, bristled at questions about authorities' flood response, calling the queries about inadequate flood warnings 'ridiculous.' Seeing the damage close-up Prior to the roundtable, Air Force One landed in San Antonio and Trump deplaned in a suit while the first lady wore more casual clothing -- though both wore ball caps against the heat. The Trumps then boarded a helicopter to Kerrville and saw the flooding aftermath from the air. They later walked close to the Guadalupe River to receive a briefing from officials near an overturned tractor trailer, numerous downed trees and other debris. Roads in the center of town were shut down, and people lined the streets, some wearing Trump hats and T-shirts and waving American flags. Green ribbons recognizing the lives lost at Camp Mystic were tied around trees, poles and along bridges, and marquees featured slogans such as 'Hill Country Strong' and 'Thank you first responders.' Harris Currie, a rancher from Utopia, Texas, near Kerrville, said the flood devastation can be fully understood only by seeing it firsthand. 'Pictures do not do it justice,' Currie said. Asked what officials on the ground needed most urgently from federal sources, Kerr County Commissioner Jeff Holt, who also is a volunteer firefighter, stressed the need for repairs to nonworking phone towers and 'maybe a little better early warning system.' Trump himself has suggested that a major warning system should be established, though few details have been offered on what that might eventually entail. Friday's visit was far different from the other times the first couple visited natural disaster sites, during Trump's first weekend back in the White House in January. They toured North Carolina to scope out damage from Hurricane Helene and saw the aftermath of wildfires in Los Angeles, and the president sharply criticized the administration of his predecessor, President Joe Biden, and officials from deep-blue California. 'The state of Texas, No. 1 they do it right and they've done it right for a long time,' Trump said. 'And it's a very special place to me.' By Sean Murphy And Will Weissert. Weissert reported from Washington.
