Trump critic Massie joins Democrats in unprecedented bid to sue White House over Iran war

A lone House Republican is joining Democrats successful an effort to get President Donald Trump sued complete nan Iran war.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is 1 of nan co-sponsors of a caller solution aimed astatine compelling House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to writer nan Trump management complete allegations nan president is violating national rule pinch nan U.S. conflict successful nan Middle East.

The measure is besides being led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., nan apical Democrat connected nan House Foreign Affairs Committee, arsenic good arsenic Reps. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., Gabe Amo, D-R.I., Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

Massie accused Trump and Pentagon main Pete Hegseth of being "in blatant usurpation of 2 sections of nan War Powers Resolution of 1973."

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Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is portion of a caller push to conflict backmost against President Donald Trump's warfare successful Iran. (Win McNamee/Getty Images; Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

"For nan first clip since nan rule was enacted, a concurrent solution has passed successful accordance pinch 5(c) of nan law, but nan White House has ignored it. It seems they’ve assumed nan rule is unconstitutional, but nary tribunal has ever recovered that to beryllium nan case, truthful nan rule remains connected nan books while nan White House flouts it. In nan 1983 lawsuit INS v. Chadha, nan Supreme Court did not opine connected nan 1973 War Powers Resolution. It’s clip for nan courts to settee this, and that’s what our authorities directs," Massie said.

"They’ve besides violated conception 5(b) of nan law, but alternatively than disregard nan law, they’ve perpetuated a ruse that nan 60-day limit connected Presidential subject activity does not use pinch respect to nan Iran war, because each clip they effect a impermanent ceasefire, nan statutory timepiece restarts. We judge nary tribunal would work together pinch this absurdity, and this should beryllium litigated arsenic well."

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Massie was 1 of 4 House Republicans who voted pinch Democrats to rebuke Trump complete the Iran war pinch a warfare powers solution that passed past week. The solution is mostly symbolic, however, and has nary applicable effect.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., during a roundtable chat pinch nan House Foreign Affairs Committee connected Feb. 12, 2025, successful Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

His unfastened disapproval of Trump besides earned Massie a superior challenger backed by nan president, who coiled up defeating nan sitting congressman and will apt return his spot successful nan House of Representatives adjacent year.

But nan caller solution to writer Trump complete nan Iran warfare is not apt to get a afloat House ballot unless Massie aliases Democrats usage maneuvers to unit it complete nan objections of House GOP leaders.

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In his comments to Fox News Digital, Massie besides criticized legislature activity for not doing much to artifact nan war.

"Unfortunately, Speaker Johnson has chosen to fto nan powerfulness of our institution atrophy and is doing harm to our law authority by his inaction motivated by governmental expediency," Massie said. "Although some Iraq wars and nan warfare successful Afghanistan were authorized by AUMFs [Use of Military Force] from Congress, nan Trump management has sought nary specified Congressional authorization for nan warfare successful Iran, and is truthful operating unconstitutionally."

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Johnson, for his part, told reporters past week that he did not judge an AUMF was basal but suggested he wanted to spot an extremity to nan war.

"The management is moving very hard. The commandant successful main and nan full Department of War, they're moving very difficult to bring this to a resolution. There's a batch of discussions astir really that will beryllium done," Johnson told reporters Tuesday. "We're each intimately watching those developments. Of course, I don't deliberation an AUMF is successful bid correct now. I deliberation we request to bring this to a resolution."

Fox News Digital reached retired to nan White House for comment.