Overview

• On June 21, President Trump ordered precision airstrikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan nuclear facilities under his Article II authority, bypassing formal congressional authorization.
• A senior Justice Department official confirmed the administration relied on Office of Legal Counsel memos and Article II powers to justify the operation under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
• Progressive Democrats and a handful of Republicans in Congress have accused the president of violating the War Powers Resolution and are drafting measures to curb unilateral military actions.
• Iran denounced the strikes as criminal and warned of “everlasting consequences,” raising fears of retaliation that could further destabilize the Middle East.
• Legal experts have warned that the strikes could breach both the War Powers Resolution and the U.N. Charter, highlighting risks of unchecked executive authority.