House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Tuesday blasted Democrats who accused President Donald Trump of acting unconstitutionally after ordering strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, bluntly calling them out for their hypocrisy.

“Presidents Ford, Carter, and Reagan … engaged in several military actions without congressional assent. … President Clinton followed with interventions in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, the Middle East, and, most significantly, Kosovo, none of which were authorized by Congress. While President George W. Bush sought and received approval of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, President Obama’s wars in Libya and Syria went ahead in violation of the War Powers Resolution’s time limits,” National Review noted.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) both accused Trump of acting unconstitutionally; Jeffries said Trump “misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East.” Schumer barked, “No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy,” calling for legislators to support war powers legislation to block further military action against Iran, Jewish Insider reported.

“A lot of your Democratic colleagues and leadership are saying they didn’t get a call from the president that this was happening,” Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones stated. “Karoline Leavitt said that’s not true, they reached out to them. Apparently, Chuck Schumer answered the phone but Hakeem Jeffries didn’t. What can you tell us about that?”

“I’ve spoken to Hakeem about this; he’s my counterpart in the House, the Democratic leader, and he wasn’t available when they called, and that’s just the way these things go,” Johnson replied. “It is ridiculous for anyone to assert that the Commander-In-Chief, using his Article II power in the Constitution, should have to consult all the members of Congress or even all the leadership in Congress every time he has to make a decisive, quick action. I mean, that would not be feasible. So the idea that they’re saying that what he’s done is somehow inappropriate or unconstitutional is nonsense. None of them ever complained when Barack Obama and Joe Biden used the same authority to drop bombs all over the Middle East, all over the world. It’s entirely inconsistent with their previous actions, and I think we call them on that hypocrisy.”

File photo: US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. [Photo/Agencies]

The United States’ weekend strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites have caused mixed reactions among US politicians — from calls for impeachment to support.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, was the first to call for the impeachment of US President Donald Trump over the attack.

“The president’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X on Saturday after the news broke.

“He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

Numerous Democratic lawmakers condemned the strikes as “unconstitutional” because only Congress can authorize action to go to war.

Illinois Representative Sean Casten called Trump’s action “impeachable”.

“This is not about the merits of Iran’s nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress. This is an unambiguous impeachable offense,” Casten posted on X.

Texas Representative Al Green and Michigan Representative Shri Thanedar have been trying to introduce articles of impeachment against Trump, but they have not got much support within the party.

Even some Republicans opposed the move. “This is not Constitutional,” Representative Thomas Massie posted on X.

Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna introduced a bipartisan War Powers Resolution bill last week to require Congress to vote for US involvement in Israel’s conflict with Iran.

“When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that’s an act of war,” Massie posted. The bill aims to “prevent America from being dragged into another endless Middle East war”, he added.

Other members of Congress also worried that Trump might get the US involved in the conflict. Senator Bernie Sanders last week introduced the No War Against Iran Act to prohibit the use of federal funds for any use of military force in or against Iran without specific Congressional authorization.

‘War of choice’

“(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s reckless and illegal attacks violate international law and risk igniting a regional war. Congress must make it clear that the United States will not be dragged into Netanyahu’s war of choice,” Sanders said. “Another war in the Middle East could cost countless lives, waste trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict and more displacement.”

However, some Republican lawmakers are backing Trump’s decision.

“The military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says,” House Speaker Mike Johnson posted on X.

Republican leader in the Senate, John Thune, also commended the military operation and called it a necessary check on Iran’s ambitions of developing a nuclear weapon.

US President Donald Trump, accompanied by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 21. PHOTO: REUTERS

US Democrats introduce resolution to check Trump’s use of military against Iran

WASHINGTON – Three Democratic lawmakers from the US House of Representatives introduced a war powers resolution on June 23 to check President Donald Trump’s use of military force against Iran after US strikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites over the weekend.

Mr Trump’s Republican Party holds a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and it is unlikely any resolution restricting Mr Trump’s actions could pass both chambers.

Iran targeted a US base in Qatar on June 23 in retaliation. The Israel-Iran war, which began on June 13 when Israel attacked its regional rival, further raised tensions in a region already on edge since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023.

The joint statement issued late on June 23 by Democratic US representatives Jim Himes, Gregory Meeks and Adam Smith came hours after Mr Trump claimed on social media that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire.

“President Trump must not be allowed to start a war with Iran, or any country, without Congressional approval,” the lawmakers said, adding that Mr Trump ordered the strikes “without meaningful consultation or Congressional authorisation”.

Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers had called on Congress to rein in Mr Trump’s use of military force in Iran and prevent US involvement in the conflict. Many Democratic US lawmakers said Mr Trump’s actions were unconstitutional and that it was Congress that had the power to declare war on foreign countries.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said earlier on June 23 that it was not the time to consider a war powers resolution.

Mr Trump’s allies insist he had the authority to take unilateral action against Iran to eliminate what they called a potential nuclear threat posed by Tehran.

The Democratic lawmakers said Mr Trump’s actions appeared broader.

“The President has posted on social media about regime change, undermining any claim that this was a narrowly tailored operation to eliminate a nuclear threat,” the Democratic lawmakers said, referring to a June 22 post in which Mr Trump raised the prospect of overthrowing Iran’s government.

“No thoughtful deliberation nor careful planning occurred here – and serious actions demand serious debate, not presidential impulse,” they added.

Israel is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons and says its war against Iran aims to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons.

Iran, which says its nuclear program is peaceful, is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty while Israel is not. REUTERS

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday became the first US president to intentionally drop an F-bomb on live TV when he told reporters that Israel and Iran “have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f— they’re doing.”

His agitated comments followed a ceasefire between the two countries, which Israel claimed Iran violated just hours afterward.

But while Trump might be the first president to drop the F-bomb in official comments to reporters on live TV, he’s no stranger to public foul language. Before a national address on the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Trump was caught on a hot mic saying “oh, f—” over a pen mark on his clothing.

In 2018, he infamously called Haiti and African nations “s–thole countries” during an Oval Office meeting.

In 2016, Trump dropped an F-bomb during his campaign rally, telling his supporters, “We’re gonna have businesses that used to be in New Hampshire that are now in Mexico. Come back to New Hampshire, and you can tell them to go f–k themselves.”

He also faced backlash after a 2005 Access Hollywood recording surfaced before the 2016 election in which he claimed that when you’re a “star,” you can grab women “by the p—y.”

However, Trump isn’t singular as a U.S. president caught cussing.

Joe Biden called a Fox News reporter a

Joe Biden

During a January 2022 briefing, a hot mic picked up former President Joe Biden calling Fox News reporter Peter Doocy a “stupid son of a b—h.”

Near the end of the event, Doocy called out, “Do you think inflation is a political liability going into the midterms?”

“No, it’s a great asset,” Biden snarked. “More inflation. What a stupid son of a b—h.”

It is unclear whether Biden realized his whisper was picked up by the microphone. Regardless, Doocy said the president called to apologize shortly after the briefing.

And in 2010, as Barack Obama’s vice president, Biden whispered at his historic health care signing, “This is a big f–king deal.”

Barack Obama condemned Kanye West in 2009 for taking away Taylor Swift’s moment at the MTV VMAs. (Getty Images)

Barack Obama

In 2009, a hot mic caught President Barack Obama calling rapper Kanye West a “jacka–” after he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Obama also used profanity in a 2012 Rolling Stone interview, referring to his presidential opponent Mitt Romney as a “bulls–er.” After being approached by a young fan, Obama joked that he did well with the younger demographic.

“Thoughts on lowering the voting age?” the interviewer asked.

“You know, kids have good instincts. They look at the other guy and say, ‘Well, that’s a bulls–ter, I can tell,’” Obama replied.

Obama later admitted he likely swore more than he should, especially after becoming president.

George W. Bush called a New York Times reporter a “major-league a–hole” in 2000. (Getty Images)

George W. Bush

During his 2000 campaign, former President George W. Bush told his running mate, Dick Cheney, around an unknowingly hot mic that New York Times reporter Adam Clymer a “major-league a–hole”

Bush later joked about the incident, referring to Clymer as a “major-league ass…et” in a taped message played at a press corps dinner.

He also used the F-bomb multiple times in a 1999 interview with Tucker Carlson for Talk magazine.

After Obama’s 2008 South Carolina win, Bill Clinton compared it to Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 1980s victories. (AFP via Getty Images)

Bill Clinton

After Obama’s 2008 South Carolina primary win over Hillary Clinton, former President Bill Clinton compared it to the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 1980s wins, which Obama saw as racially charged.

“I don’t think I should take any s–t from anybody on that, do you?” Bill Clinton responded, reportedly not knowing anyone could hear him.

John F Kennedy dropped an F-bomb during a heated phone call with an Air Force general. (Getty Images)

John F. Kennedy

When information leaked that the Air Force spent $5,000 on Jackie Kennedy’s maternity suite at Otis Air Force Base in 1963, President John F. Kennedy predicted political backlash and angrily called it “a f–k-up” during a phone call with a general.

Harry Truman didn’t mince his words about General Douglas MacArthur and Richard Nixon. (AFP via Getty Images)

Harry Truman

Known as “Give ‘Em Hell Harry,” President Truman’s folksy language reflected his rough upbringing. He once called General Douglas MacArthur a “dumb son of a b—h” and Richard Nixon a “shifty-eyed godd—ed liar.”

Andrew Jackson’s parrot, Poll, learned to curse and shocked mourners by swearing at his 1845 funeral. (Getty Images)

Andrew Jackson

President Andrew Jackson gifted his wife an African gray parrot named Poll, who picked up his foul language.

At Jackson’s 1845 funeral, Poll shocked attendees by loudly cursing.

“Before the sermon and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that was a household pet got excited and commenced swearing so loud and long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house,” funeral attendee Rev. William Menefee Norment once wrote .

Lincoln famously told a crude Ethan Allen joke about a George Washington portrait in an outhouse, as shown in Spielberg’s

Abraham Lincoln

President Abraham Lincoln famously shared a story about Ethan Allen shocking English hosts with a crude joke involving a portrait of George Washington in an outhouse, as depicted in Spielberg’s Lincoln.

“There is nothing to make an Englishman shit quicker than the sight of General George Washington,” Lincoln reportedly said.

Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks during his weekly press conference at the US Capitol on June 24, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Many constitutional scholars believe that the law known as the War Powers Resolution violates Article II, Johnson said, adding, “I think that’s right.”

Johnson told reporters that President Donald Trump ‘s decision to order strikes on Iranian nuclear targets over the weekend was “clearly” within his powers under Article II of the U.S. Constitution.

House Speaker Mike Johnson , R-La., argued Tuesday that the War Powers Act, a Nixon-era law limiting the president’s power to unilaterally wage war , is unconstitutional, and vowed that a pending resolution to bar U.S. military action in Iran under that law will not pass the House.

The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, which it has not done with respect to the current conflict in the Middle East between Iran and Israel. But the legislative branch has not formally exercised that power since World War II.

The Constitution also makes the president the commander in chief of the nation’s armed forces, giving him significant sway over the use of the military. Previous presidents have taken military action without first seeking congressional approval, and some experts say neither Congress nor the courts are likely to do much to rein in Trump in response to the recent strikes.

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying the armed forces in any case where war has not formally been declared. Under the law, the military use must end within 60 days unless Congress declares war or grants an extension.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., alongside Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, last week introduced a War Powers resolution that would bar the U.S. military from “unauthorized hostilities” in Iran.

More than a dozen House Democrats have cosponsored the resolution, and Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has put forward a similar measure in the Senate.

The resolution is “privileged,” which could allow it to quickly come to a House vote despite Johnson’s opposition.

But Massie said Monday evening that he would not advance his resolution if the Iran-Israel ceasefire holds, Politico reported.

Trump has lashed out at Massie repeatedly over his opposition to the massive tax-and-spending bill that the president is pushing Republican lawmakers to quickly pass. Massie was one of a small handful of Republicans to vote against the bill when it came to the House floor last month.

On Tuesday morning, Trump in a Truth Social post called Massie a “Third Rate Congressman” and a “LOSER.”

Johnson told the press in Tuesday’s remarks that he has asked Massie if his resolution was a “moot point” in light of Trump’s ceasefire announcement.

Massie had replied, “yeah, it probably is,” according to Johnson.

So “we may not have to act” on the resolution, the speaker said. “I hope we don’t, because I think it would be a terrible look, and it will not pass the House because it’s inappropriate and it’s not a proper use of the law anyway.”