Democrats on Tuesday accused the Trump administration of stonewalling Congress by withholding vital information about the U.S. strike on Iran, following the abrupt postponement of two scheduled briefings on the escalating crisis in the Middle East.
The House and Senate were scheduled to receive separate all-member briefings Tuesday afternoon from senior Trump administration officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan “Razin” Caine.
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However, the sessions were postponed until Thursday to accommodate Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who are traveling in Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) slammed the last-minute postponement of the Iran briefing as “outrageous,” accusing the administration of evasion and demanding full transparency and accountability to Congress.
Schumer noted that neither Hegseth nor Rubio had been slated to attend Tuesday’s briefing and dismissed the need to delay on their account, saying lawmakers shouldn’t have to wait for their availability to receive critical information.
“We don’t care. I think Hegseth is just going to give us talking points. But Caine is scheduled to come. He probably knows more about the military operations both now and in the future than anybody,” Schumer said.
The minority leader also criticized the information he was provided, emphasizing that he received only a vague, last-minute notice of the strike and no meaningful briefing since.
“Shortly before the action occurred, or during it, we’re not sure which, they called me up and said, ‘We’re taking imminent action. Can’t tell you what country.’ I said, ‘Can you give me some details?’ They said, ‘No,’” Schumer explained.
“That’s the extent of the briefing I’ve gotten. I’ve asked for a briefing. I asked for a briefing yesterday; didn’t get it.”
During a Monday appearance on Fox News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration had taken steps to inform senior Democratic leaders about the strikes in advance, despite having no obligation to do so.
“The White House was not obligated to call anyone because the president was acting within his legal authority under Article II of the Constitution … We gave these calls as a courtesy,” she said.
A White House official told the Washington Examiner that the briefings needed to be moved due to new developments.
“Due to evolved circumstances as a result of recent positive developments in the Middle East, the previously scheduled briefings for Senators is being postponed to this Thursday,” the official said Tuesday.
Some Democrats have called Trump’s lack of congressional approval before the bombings illegal, with Rep. Al Green (D-TX) filing new articles of impeachment against Trump.
He forced a floor vote on the impeachment resolution on Tuesday afternoon, but the House voted to table the resolution in a bipartisan vote.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) expressed growing frustration over the administration‘s lack of transparency and warned of the consequences of unchecked military escalation.
“Why are Republicans hiding facts and the truth from America with respect to the possibility that their actions will drive us into another catastrophic war in the Middle East?” Jeffries said on Tuesday.
The frustration is mounting as several senators consider whether to support a war powers resolution, set for a Senate vote later this week, while they await a comprehensive briefing on the escalating situation in Iran.
The development comes as President Donald Trump appeared visibly agitated Tuesday morning while leaving the White House, lashing out at both Israel and Iran for allegedly violating the ceasefire he had announced just the night before.
Amid the uncertainty, some lawmakers are calling for immediate deliberation on the Senate floor before determining next steps.
“I think we have to listen first to the debate, and then we have to ask ourselves very practical questions about if this is the end of operations from the United States, as the president suggests,” said Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI). “I think it’s worth debate, and that’s what we should have on the floor immediately.”
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Emphasizing the urgency of the moment, Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, called for swift clarity on the unfolding crisis.
“We need to know immediately what the damage assessment is, what are the options going forward for both the Iranians and the Israelis,” Reed said. “So there’s a whole host of questions, and the sooner we get the answers, the better off we are.”
Naomi Lim contributed to this report.