In a bit of extreme party flank crossover, firebrand progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York, has signed onto a resolution from Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, to limit US involvement in Israel’s war with Iran.
Massie, a libertarian Republican, has criticized President Donald Trump’s support for Israel’s aerial war with Iran. He posted on X on Monday evening that he would introduce legislation to restrict U.S. involvement.
“This is not our war,” Massie wrote. “But if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution. I’m introducing a bipartisan War Powers Resolution tomorrow to prohibit our involvement. I invite all members of Congress to cosponsor this resolution.“
Massie’s resolution comes as the United States on Monday sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East. Trump left the G7 dinner early to return to Washington that evening. The president warned that “everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran.”
In the past, both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have attempted to wrest back its constitutional authority to declare war even as presidents of both parties have continuously used military force without congressional authorization.
Ocasio-Cortez, better know by her initials AOC, a longtime critic of the Israeli government, signaled her support for Massie’s resolution.
“Signing on,” she posted in response. Ocasio-Cortez was not the only member of the congressional “Squad,” a coterie of progressive Democrats, to voice her support for the resolution.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian congresswoman, who repeatedly criticized Israel’s war in Gaza, also signaled her support.
“I look forward to supporting this War Powers Resolution,” she said. “The American people aren’t falling for it again. We were lied to about “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq that killed millions + forever changed lives.”
Rep. Ro Khanna, of California, also said he would co-lead the resolution with Massie.
“It’s time for every member to go on record,” he said. “Are you with the neocons who led us into Iraq or do you stand with the American people?”
In addition, Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia said he would support the resolution.
“I’m in, signing on to this,” he said.
The legislation comes as some of Trump’s biggest supporters have split with regard to supporting Israel in its conflict with Iran. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene broke with Trump and said that “Real America First/MAGA wants world peace for all people and doesn’t want our military killed and forever injured physically and mentally.”
Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, has also criticized Trump’s support for Israel, saying Trump was “complicit in the act of war.” Later, Greene signaled she sided with Carlson instead of Trump on Iran.
So far, on the Senate side, Democrats have led the charge to oppose war with Iran. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who sits on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, introduced a war powers resolution.
“The American people have no interest in sending servicemembers to fight another forever war in the Middle East,” he said in a statement. “This resolution will ensure that if we decide to place our nation’s men and women in uniform into harm’s way, we will have a debate and vote on it in Congress.”
Separately, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the indepdendent from Vermont, introduced legislation with Democratic Sens. Tina Smith of Minnesota, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Peter Welch of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Sanders’s legislation would prohibit the use of federal dollars to go toward war against Iran unless it had specific congressional authorization.
