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President Donald Trump’s decision to bomb Iran carried both hope and fear. The hope was that the destruction of Iran’s rogue nuclear program would eliminate a significant threat. However, the fear was that this action could draw the United States into another war in a volatile region, with uncertain consequences.
In a late-night announcement on June 21, Trump declared the objective of destroying Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and stopping the nuclear threat posed by the country. By deploying B-2 bombers to target crucial sites in Iran, Trump aimed to pressure Tehran into making peace.
Dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” the bombing operation hinged on the belief that Iran would be compelled to abandon its nuclear program. However, Trump acknowledged the possibility of further military action if peace was not achieved swiftly.
The decision to bomb Iran highlighted conflicting impulses within the White House. While Trump had campaigned against “forever wars,” he also demonstrated impatience with long-standing challenges that defied traditional solutions. The bombing also underscored Trump’s alignment with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who viewed Iran’s nuclear program as a grave threat to Israel.
The bombing of Iran marked a significant moment in Trump’s presidency, signaling a departure from his “America First” stance and potentially shaping his legacy. As Congress was not consulted before the military action, this conflict would be defined as Trump’s war, with implications that could reverberate both domestically and internationally.
The War Powers Act was enacted in response to President Richard Nixon’s covert bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam War. This law mandates that presidents inform Congress and restricts the duration of military deployments. Following the departure of U.S. bombers from Iranian airspace, the administration promptly informed congressional leaders during a Pentagon briefing on June 22. Virginia Senator Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, criticized President Trump for potentially entangling the United States in a prolonged conflict without congressional consultation, a clear strategy, or consideration for intelligence assessments. These issues mirror debates reminiscent of the Iraq War, with questions arising about the seriousness of the Iranian nuclear threat and how voters will assess the risks and costs involved. Meanwhile, in Istanbul, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Trump of betraying his supporters by launching an attack despite his campaign pledges. Araghchi held the U.S. administration accountable for any repercussions but did not specify whether Iran planned to retaliate against American forces in the region. Shortly after the bombing, Iran fired missiles at Israel, and the foreign minister is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 23. This event raises the question: has the threat from Iran been averted, or is this just the beginning of a potential “endless war” as speculated in USA TODAY’s article on Trump’s actions towards Iran.
