As a Navy veteran, Navy spouse, and now mother of an active-duty servicemember, I understand the realities of military life, not just in theory, but through personal experience. Now, serving on the House Armed Services Committee, I carry that perspective into every conversation I have about national security and defense policy.
That’s why I fully support the recent U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. This was not an act of war nor an unprovoked attack. It was a limited, targeted mission to prevent a regime that has repeatedly murdered Americans from acquiring a nuclear weapon. It was the right call, and it has made the world a safer place.
Iran was not years away from a nuclear bomb. It was days away. In May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Iran had reached the threshold of nuclear capability, with everything it needed to build a weapon quickly. Just weeks later, General Erik Kurilla told Congress that Iran could produce enough material for a nuclear bomb in about a week and enough for several more within three.
This was not some far-off concern. It was a clear and present danger. Iran has a long and deadly record of targeting Americans. A federal court held it responsible for the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, which killed 241 servicemembers. Iran-backed terrorists also carried out the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, killing 19 U.S. airmen. From 2003 to 2011, Iranian-made explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, were used in Iraq to kill over 600 U.S. troops.
More recently, Iran-backed militias have significantly increased their aggression, launching over 180 attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan — including the January 2024 drone strike on Tower 22 that killed three American soldiers and injured dozens more. Iran has also backed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and has been linked to multiple cyberattacks against the U.S. and its allies.
This is not a regime we can allow to obtain a nuclear weapon. Iran’s leaders have openly and repeatedly called for “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.” Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has endorsed the chants as symbols of the regime’s hostility, and in 2013, then-President Hassan Rouhani stated that slogans like “Death to America” were not enough and needed to be matched by action.
When a regime that declares its hatred for the United States is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, we cannot afford to wait and see what happens next. The threat was real, and it was time to act. Trump has been clear on this issue for more than a decade: Iran must never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon. His position is backed by U.S. policy across five previous administrations of both parties. Trump gave the regime multiple opportunities to change course, to de-escalate, and to return to the negotiating table.
Even now, he has left the door open for diplomacy if Iran is willing to abandon its nuclear ambitions. But when diplomacy failed, the president acted to eliminate the threat before it materialized into a catastrophe.
Some have questioned the legality of the strikes. However, under Article II of the Constitution, the president has the authority as commander in chief to take limited military action to defend U.S. forces and interests. This authority has been used repeatedly by presidents of both parties. Former President Barack Obama ordered military operations in Libya in 2011 and began sustained strikes against ISIS in 2014, both without direct congressional authorization. Former President Joe Biden authorized multiple airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen under the same legal framework. The recent action against Iran’s nuclear facilities is consistent with this long-standing precedent. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue.
This is a national security issue. That’s why I stand alongside members of both parties who have publicly supported the president’s action, including Democrats such as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). We may not agree on everything, but we agree on this: Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, and Americans are safer today because of this bold decision.
I represent Virginia’s Second Congressional District, home to Hampton Roads and thousands of active-duty servicemembers, veterans, and military families. I’ve served alongside them. I’ve waited, like so many spouses and parents, to hear from those I love. I know what’s at stake when we send troops into harm’s way, which is why I support action that avoids boots on the ground and prevents larger, longer, deadlier wars.
This strike was about deterrence. It was about reestablishing peace through strength. It was about acting before Iran could take the next, irreversible step. The mission was clear, achievable, and proportionate. It succeeded.
YES, IRAN WAS ON THE VERGE OF OBTAINING NUCLEAR WEAPONS
I encourage all Americans to pray for the servicemembers who carried out this mission, for those deployed, and for the families who support them. I also urge them to look beyond partisanship and recognize that this was about one thing: protecting the lives of Americans from a tyrannical regime that has already killed too many innocent people.
Diplomacy remains an option, but only if backed by the strength and credibility to act when it matters. This was one of those moments. And the United States made the right choice.
Jen Kiggans represents Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.