Trump launches Operation Epic Fury - lawmakers split between praise and demands for oversight

President Donald Trump announced an eight-minute video on Truth Social early Saturday saying the United States and Israel had launched "major combat operations" in Iran, a move CBS News identified as "Operation Epic Fury" and Ms Now characterized as "massive and ongoing." In the video Trump warned that "the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost" and framed the strikes as necessary to eliminate imminent threats to Americans, U.S. forces and allies, Spectrum Local News reported.

Trump told Iranians to "lay down their weapons" and called on civilians to "take over your government," CBS News reported. Spectrum quoted him saying, "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people," and added that he portrayed Iran's activities as menacing U.S. troops, bases and partners.

The announcement set off an immediate partisan rupture on Capitol Hill. Republican senators and representatives broadly praised the operation, while Democrats demanded briefings, transparency and congressional oversight, according to reporting from CBS, ABC7 and Spectrum.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, celebrated the operation across social media posts that were reported by multiple outlets. CBS cited Graham saying the strike had "been well-planned" and would be "violent, extensive and I believe, at the end of the day, successful." Spectrum reported Graham writing on X that he was "confident this operation will be successful and the liberation of the long suffering people of Iran is at hand," and included a harsher posting that "Again the demise of the ayatollah's regime with American blood on its hands is necessary and more than justified." Ms Now quoted a later Graham post honoring potential troops' sacrifices: "If you are injured or fall, I believe with all my heart that your sacrifice makes your country and the world a better and safer place."

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, called the action a "pivotal and necessary operation to protect Americans and American interests" and said the "Iranian regime has never been weaker," CBS reported. Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, told ABC7 the strikes should serve as a warning to "tyrants and terrorists" and said, "History is watching." Even some Democrats expressed support. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman said, as reported by Spectrum and ABC7, that "President Trump has been willing to do what's right and necessary to produce real peace in the region" and added, "God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel."

Critics warned of the costs and questioned legal authority. Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego, a veteran, said he had "lost friends in Iraq to an illegal war" and that "young working-class kids should not pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn't been explained or justified to the American people," ABC7 and CBS reported. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters, quoted by Ms Now, that "under no circumstances should the Trump administration get us into another failed, foreign forever more" and warned, "It's going to cost American lives."

Rep. Thomas Massie described the operation on social media as "acts of war unauthorized by Congress," CBS reported, and the network noted Massie had introduced a June 2025 resolution directing the president to "terminate the use of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran" absent congressional authorization. CBS also reported that Democrats were planning to compel a vote on a war-powers resolution co-sponsored by Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, formally requested briefings from the State Department and the Pentagon, Spectrum and ABC7 reported.

Lawmakers across the aisle signaled immediate next steps: GOP praise and calls to sustain the campaign juxtaposed with Democratic demands for full transparency, oversight and an expected push to force a war-powers vote, according to CBS, Spectrum Local News, ABC7 and Ms Now. Official casualty figures and additional operational details have not been published in the reporting; lawmakers have sought briefings as the situation unfolds.