Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Trump administration informed congressional leadership of U.S. strikes against Iran “after the planes were safely out.”
At a Sunday morning press conference at the Pentagon, Hegseth said the administration’s actions “complied with the notification requirements of the War Powers Act.”
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The War Powers Act requires the executive branch to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and prohibits armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days.
Top Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), said they were not briefed on the strike. They are both members of the so-called Gang of Eight, a group of bipartisan congressional leaders that is supposed to be briefed on classified intelligence matters.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was informed of the strike beforehand, the Washington Examiner confirmed. Other Republicans on the Gang of Eight, including Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) were briefed on the matter.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that he had ordered strikes against Iran’s Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz nuclear facilities. Trump said the United States “obliterated” the facilities.