Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026. / Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Indian American democrats on Feb. 28 criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to authorize military strikes against Iran, renewing debate in Washington over executive war powers and the risks of a widening conflict in the Middle East.

In a post on X, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) said Congress’ constitutional war powers had been sidelined “as Trump wages another illegal war.” She said American servicemembers were now at risk due to what she described as a “dangerous escalation” and expressed concern over reports that Iranian children had been killed.

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Congress has once again had its Constitutional war powers sidelined as Trump wages another illegal war.

American servicemembers are now at risk due to this dangerous escalation from Trump and I’m incredibly concerned by reporting that Iranian children have already been killed. https://t.co/pd0G3zEolc

— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) February 28, 2026

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Oversight Committee, said the President had exceeded his authority. “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,” Krishnamoorthi said.

He added that “the American people do not want war” and said the decision to strike Iran puts 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,” he said. “The power to go to war is reserved for Congress and Congress alone.”

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… pic.twitter.com/9oBjS7Dxs7

— Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) February 28, 2026

Krishnamoorthi said he would vote in support of a War Powers Resolution “to rein in this unaccountable President” and added that he was praying for the safety of U.S. service members.

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) of Virginia’s 10th District urged the administration to seek congressional authorization and questioned whether the action met the test for risking U.S. lives.

“When we put American servicemembers’ lives at risk, we must ensure the cause is worthy and the objective is clear. We must ask whether it truly makes our country safer and whether all diplomatic options have been exhausted,” Subramanyam said. He added, “It is not clear to me that a protracted war with Iran fits that criteria,” and warned that “the American people are tired of forever wars, regime change with unintended consequences, and spending trillions on wars abroad.”

The American people are tired of forever wars, regime change with unintended consequences, and spending trillions on wars abroad. pic.twitter.com/2PI5ZHYesa

— Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) (@RepSuhas) February 28, 2026

Former Vice President Kamala Harris said the President was “dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want.” “Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice,” Harris said.

In her statement she called the action “a dangerous and unnecessary gamble with American lives that also jeopardizes stability in the region and our standing in the world,” and wrote that “what we are witnessing is not strength. It is recklessness dressed up as resolve.” Harris also criticized campaign promises on war, saying Mr. Trump’s pledge to end wars “was a lie,” and took issue with prior claims that Iran’s nuclear program had been “obliterated.”

Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice.

Read my full statement: pic.twitter.com/JmxZaC8vBr

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 28, 2026

New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani described the strikes as “a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression,” writing: “Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war.” Mamdani said Americans do not want another regime-change war and said he was coordinating with the Police Commissioner and emergency management officials to increase patrols of sensitive locations “out of an abundance of caution.” He addressed Iranian New Yorkers directly, saying they are “part of the fabric of this city” and “you will be safe here.”

 

Today’s military strikes on Iran — carried out by the United States and Israel — mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression. Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit…

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 28, 2026

The United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Feb. 28 against targets in Iran, with strikes reported near Tehran and elsewhere. Iranian missile and drone strikes were subsequently reported against U.S. and allied forces in the region.

The administration has characterized the operation as “major combat operations,” a description that has intensified debate on Capitol Hill over presidential war powers and prompted calls from lawmakers for oversight, authorization or legislative limits.