U.S. President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation alongside U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 21, 2025, following U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. / REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Pool

In a dramatic escalation in the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump on June 21 night announced that the United States had carried out airstrikes on three of Iran’s most critical nuclear enrichment facilities, describing the operation as a “spectacular military success,” as he warned Tehran of devastating consequences if they retaliated.

“Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,” Trump said in his address.

Trump said the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, including the Fordow site that is located in a mountainside. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” the president posted on Truth Social earlier.

“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is no other military in the World that could have done this,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. According to The New York Times, Fordo is Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear site and one that is central to any effort to destroy Iran’s ability to make nuclear weapons.

“Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror,” he said in his address to the nation.

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2025

President Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated. That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity,” he said.

House Democratic Leader said the risk of war has now dramatically increased. “I pray for the safety of our troops in the region who have been put in harm’s way. President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East,” he said.

US Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the regime in Iran, which has committed itself to bringing ‘death to America’ and wiping Israel off the map, has rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace. “The mullahs’ misguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped. As we take action tonight to ensure a nuclear weapon remains out of reach for Iran, I stand with President Trump and pray for the American troops and personnel in harm’s way,” Thune said.

“I condemn in the strongest terms the President’s decision to order the U.S. military to strike Iran’s nuclear sites. The President did not seek authorization from Congress or demonstrate that Iran posed an immediate threat to the security of the United States,” Congressman Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, said.

“Furthermore, the President failed to provide clear objectives for these actions and there are no guarantees that it will eliminate the possibility of Iran developing a nuclear weapon or how long it might set their program back,” he said.

“Engaging in direct conflict places U.S. service members and military sites in the Middle East squarely in the crosshairs of Iran and its many proxies. Tonight’s actions could further escalate tensions, destabilize the region, and drag the United States into an avoidable war,” Smith said.

“The way to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and to protect American service members is through diplomacy and negotiation, not entering into direct conflict. The path that the President has chosen risks unleashing a wider war in the region that is both incredibly unpredictable and treacherous and that threatens the safety and security of the United States, Israel, and ultimately the world,” he said.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said that Trump sending U.S. troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of our Constitution. “The American people do not want another forever war. We have seen where decades of endless war in the Middle East get us—all based on the lie of ‘weapons of mass destruction.’ We are not falling for it again,” she said.

“Instead of listening to the American people, Trump is listening to War Criminal Netanyahu, who lied about Iraq and is lying once again about Iran. Congress must act immediately to exert its war powers and stop this unconstitutional act of war,” Tlaib said.

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— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2025

Trump thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Defence Forces in this and said they worked like a team. “I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibe Netanyahu. We worked as a team, like perhaps no team has ever worked before. We have gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they've done,” he said.

Leadership of the ruling Republican Party applauded Trump for his decision to attack Iran, while lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party condemned the attack.

House Speaker Mike Johnson on June 21 said the military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says.  “The President gave Iran’s leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement. 

Indian American Ajay Bhutoria, former advisor to president Biden, said US Bombing Iran nuclear sites is marking a dangerous escalation into an Iran-Israel war that contradicts Donald Trump’s original promise of no war. “This unilateral military action, undertaken without congressional authorization, not only endangers our 40,000 troops in Middle East  but also risks dragging the U.S. into a conflict that does not serve our national interest, placing an unnecessary burden on the American people,” he said.

In a statement, Bhutoria demanded immediate transparency from the Trump administration, a full and secure briefing for Congress, and a swift return to diplomatic channels to de-escalate the situation, while holding the administration fully accountable for the dire consequences of this reckless decision.