Members of the Missouri and Illinois congressional delegations are split over President Donald Trump's decision to attack Iran.
And some Democrats are criticizing Trump for launching the attack without conferring with Congress — and before lawmakers could vote on a war powers resolution that would have restricted the president from using force against Iran.
American and Israeli troops launched airstrikes around Iran on Saturday. In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump cited Iran's refusal to abandon its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programs as rationale for the attack. The Republican chief executive added that "the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties that often happens in war, but we're doing this not for now."
"We're doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission," Trump added.
Reaction to Trump's decision among Missouri and Illinois political figures broke down along party lines.
Congresswoman Ann Wagner, R-Missouri, said in a statement that "for nearly fifty years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has proven itself to be utterly committed to violence, chaos, and instability." Wagner, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, added that "the United States, along with the support from many of our allies around the world, will no longer allow this regime to wreak havoc at will."
"As the President stated, Operation Epic Fury is a clear and necessary action to raze the Iranian ballistic missile industry to the ground, annihilate the Ayatollah's navy, and ensure Iranian terrorism and nuclear threats can no longer destabilize the globe," Wagner said. "The multiple statements of support from across the Western world illustrate the importance of this action."
Wagner is alluding to how the leaders from a number of countries, including Canada, Australia and Ukraine, backed Trump's decision to attack Iran.
Later on Saturday after news reports that an Israeli airstrike killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Wagner said in a statement that "eliminating the Ayatollah and much of his senior leadership brings this brutal reign of persecution to a definitive and necessary end."
"The people of Iran can now choose their own destiny," Wagner said.
Rep. Mark Alford, R-Missouri, said in a statement on X that he backed Trump's "swift and bold action to finally hold the regime accountable."
"The Iranian regime is the world's leading state sponsor of terror, a destabilizing force across the region, and a threat to U.S. allies, interests, and bases in the Middle East," Alford said. "Tehran is directly responsible for the deaths of countless Americans over the years."
"As I've said for weeks, through either the easy way or the hard way, the Ayatollah needs to go," he added.
Rep. Sam Graves, R-Missouri, said in a statement that Trump "took decisive action to protect our service members, our homeland, and our national security before that threat could grow." Congressman Mike Bost, R-Illinois, applauded Trump acting to protect America's national security interests.
And on Saturday afternoon, Congressman Jason Smith, R-Missouri, said "the world is a safer place under President Trump's leadership."
Rep. Mary Miller, R-Illinois, said Trump has "taken decisive action to defend America's interests and confront those who threaten our security."
"As our elite Armed Forces carry out Operation Epic Fury in Iran, we lift up our brave service members and the allies standing beside them in prayer for their safety and success in the mission," Miller said in a statement on X.
Durbin, Pritzker decry decision
Democrats representing Illinois and Missouri roundly condemned Trump's decision to attack Iran, including Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.
Duckworth said in her statement that "too many Americans believed him when he promised that he would get our nation out of foreign wars and bring prices down for families." The lawmaker added Americans "can clearly see with their own eyes that he was lying"
"Instead, Donald Trump chose to put American lives and national security at risk while threatening to draw us into yet another expensive, taxpayer-funded forever war without Constitutionally-required authorization, a defined end-state or a real plan to prevent the instability that could come next," Duckworth said. "He is making that choice while his chaotic policies here at home continue driving costs for middle-class Americans to record highs."
While noting "there is bipartisan support for stopping the development of nuclear weapons in Iran," she said, "there is no consensus for another interminable war in the Middle East."
Durbin, who is not seeking reelection this year, pointed out he was one of 23 senators to vote against authorizing military force in Iraq in 2002. Trump attacked Iran without receiving authorization from Congress — and before lawmakers could vote on a war powers resolution aimed at restricting military force without permission from the country's legislative branch.
"A war in Iran with the goal of regime change could be another long-term military commitment with deadly consequences for thousands of American troops," Durbin said. "The rash and unpredictable conduct of President Trump is a well-established worry in many ways but an impulsive commander in chief is a deadly combination."
Democratic Reps. Wesley Bell and Nikki Budzinski both released statements criticizing Trump's decision to strike Iran. Budzinski said "the Constitution is clear: only Congress has the power to send our nation to war."
"This is a grave responsibility — one we take with the utmost seriousness. But the same cannot be said for President Trump," said the Illinois lawmaker, who added she would support a War Powers resolution. "Once again, he has disregarded the principle of coequal branches of government. And now, the consequences could be profound and dangerous."
Bell said in his statement that "no one should mistake opposition to this war for sympathy toward that government." But he added that "launching a regime change campaign without a clear strategy, a defined end goal, or honest preparation for the costs is dangerous and shortsighted."
"Military force is the most serious power our country can exercise," said Bell, D-St. Louis County. "It requires clarity of purpose, clearly defined objectives, and a credible plan for what comes next. War is not something you enter lightly, and it is not something you get to redo if it goes wrong. The American people and their Representatives deserve to know that every diplomatic option was fully exhausted before we put our troops in harm's way."
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a potential presidential candidate in 2028, also ripped Trump's decision, saying there's "no justification, no authorization from Congress, and no clear objective."
"But none of that matters to Donald Trump — and apparently neither do the safety and lives of American service members," Pritzker said in a statement on BlueSky. "Donald Trump is once again sidestepping the Constitution and once again failing to explain why he's taking us into another war. Americans asked for affordable housing and health care, not another potentially endless conflict. God protect our troops."
Schmitt and Hawley mum for now
As of Saturday morning, Missouri Sens. Eric Schmitt and Josh Hawley had not released statements about Trump's decision to attack Iran.
Both Republicans were critical of Democratic President Joe Biden's push to provide Ukraine with weapons to repel Russia's invasion.
But they've been largely supportive of Trump's foreign policy moves, even as some elements of the president's political coalition have been fiercely critical of his interventionist decisions in Venezuela and Iran.
When asked about potential military action last week in Springfield, Hawley called Iran "a huge threat to the region, to our ally Israel — but also to our interests."
"Iran absolutely cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and needs to be put in their box and kept in their box," Hawley said. "And we need our allies in the region, particularly Israel, to be strong, to keep them deterred, and contained long term."
In a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Duckworth said that people should be cautious about what comes next if the reports about Khamenei's death are accurate.
She pointed out that after Trump captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, his administration started working with his vice president – which, she said, shows "it's clear that he does not have a history of actually developing a plan on what is next."
"So we've taken out the Iranian leadership. What is next? Do we send in peacekeeping forces? Do we send in American troops to run the country? Or is he planning to turn around and work with the regime that's already in power the way he's doing in Venezuela?" Duckworth said. "So those are some of the tough questions I will be asking the administration when they come in front of the Senate."
This story has been updated with additional comment.
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