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Rep. Jayapal demands end to “illegal” Iran war
The democrat cited casualties, displacement, and lack of congressional authorization in opposing the Iran war.
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Malvika Choudhary - Wed, 18, Mar 2026
- 18:12 EDT
- 40
Pramila Jayapal / X/ Pramila Jayapal
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal on March 18 called for an immediate end to the war in Iran, citing mounting casualties, displacement, and constitutional concerns.
Speaking at a Capitol Hill event, Jayapal said the human and economic toll of the conflict was already evident. “I know everyone here, like me, is furious and also heartbroken. Both things are true because the consequences that we are seeing are just beginning to be evident and we're not going to see the end of these consequences for some time,” she said.
Also Read: Indian American Reps press War Powers Resolution amid Iran strikes
Since the war began, Jayapal said 13 U.S. service members had been killed, along with 168 Iranian children; additionally, more than 3 million Iranian civilians and 1 million Lebanese civilians had been displaced.
The war in Iran has already killed 13 U.S. servicemembers, 168 Iranian children, and displaced millions of Iranians, wasted billions of taxpayer dollars, and put our democracy and global order at risk.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) March 18, 2026
This war is illegal and unconstitutional. It must end now. pic.twitter.com/bgLokxssuO
She criticized the financial cost of the war, stating that $11 billion in taxpayer funds had been spent in the first week, while linking the conflict to rising gas and fertilizer prices in the United States.
Calling the war a “war of choice,” Jayapal said there had been no imminent threat and no authorization from Congress. “There is certainly no plan for this war,” she said, adding that the conflict posed risks to U.S. democracy and global order.
Jayapal also suggested that the war was being used to shift attention from domestic issues, including what she described as a “massive cover up of the Epstein files,” economic concerns, and actions by federal immigration agencies.
Her remarks come amid broader political and public opposition to the conflict across the United States, including protests in multiple cities following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year.
Jayapal has been among lawmakers pushing back against the administration’s military action. Earlier this month, she supported a War Powers Resolution aimed at limiting U.S. involvement, arguing that Congress alone has the authority to declare war and warning against unilateral presidential action.
The Capitol Hill memorial event was organized by grassroots organization Win Without War for the victims of the U.S. strike on a girls’ school in Minab, Iran. Members of Congress and advocates gathered in front of a memorial display with backpacks and children’s shoes to call for an end to the war in Iran.
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