Overview

• On June 20, Trump ordered airstrikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan nuclear sites without seeking congressional authorization.
• A senior Justice Department official says the administration relied on Article II powers, White House counsel advice and prior Office of Legal Counsel memos to authorize the operation.
• Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, the president must notify Congress within 48 hours and end hostilities after 60 days unless lawmakers approve further action.
• Legal experts argue the strikes may fall outside the UN Charter’s narrow self-defense provisions, raising questions under international law.
• Attorney General Pam Bondi is scheduled to testify before the House to explain the administration’s constitutional rationale.