’Enough Is Enough’: Schumer Opposes War on Iran

“Trump’s rinse-and-repeat approach to the Iran War isn’t a strategy; it’s a recipe for utter disaster,” Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor.

Schumer said Trump’s notification that the US was once again at war with Iran came after the president had previously declared the war over.

“Again: Trump once again gave 60-day notice that the nation is once again at war with Iran,” Schumer said, arguing that the administration’s approach had created a cycle of renewed escalation.

He criticized the impact of the war on Americans, saying the war had contributed to higher fuel prices, increased costs, and placed US service members in danger.

“The American people are paying the price for Trump’s total failure in Iran,” Schumer said, calling on the president to pursue negotiations and comply with congressional efforts to end the war.

Schumer also criticized Trump’s handling of the June memorandum of understanding [MoU] with Iran, saying the agreement collapsed shortly after being announced.

“Trump’s so-called ‘understanding’, lot of bull, with Iran fell apart faster than the ink could dry,” Schumer said.

He argued that the administration had failed to present a clear strategy for ending the confrontation, warning that the repeated cycle of escalation was damaging US interests.

“The same-old cycle repeats itself. Trump tells us the war is over. Iran tells us it isn’t. The missiles start flying, the ships stop moving, prices jump, and Trump comes back a short time later and tells us the war is over again,” Schumer said.

The Senate leader urged Trump to “get serious” about negotiations and work with Congress to bring an end to the war.

Schumer’s remarks came after Trump formally notified Congress that war against Iran had resumed, citing national security concerns, announcing renewed strikes, a maritime blockade, and a 20% toll on Strait of Hormuz traffic.

Several lawmakers challenged his war powers authority, arguing Congress holds the power to authorize war.

For his part, representative Mike Levin criticized Trump’s notification that war on Iran had resumed, saying the president’s claim that continuing the war was solely his decision violated the constitutional separation of powers.

Levin argued that Congress holds the authority to declare war, while the War Powers Resolution limits unauthorized military operations without congressional approval.

Meanwhile, representative Teresa Leger Fernández accused Trump of attempting to reset legal limits on military action by declaring the Iran war had resumed after previously saying it had ended.

She argued that no president has sole authority to wage war without congressional approval.

The renewed debate came as lawmakers challenge presidential war powers, with disputes over whether the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day limit applies after the Trump administration declared the Iran war had ended following a ceasefire.

Previous House and Senate resolutions called for withdrawing US forces from hostilities with Iran.