Despite President Donald Trump’s description of the strike on three key Iranian nuclear sites as “very successful,” Vice President J.D. Vance maintains that the U.S. is “not at war with Iran.”
Vance clarified his stance on Sunday, stating, “We’re not at war with Iran, we’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.” He reiterated this point in multiple interviews throughout the day.
Vance’s comments follow a strong warning from Iran, with its U.N. ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, demanding accountability and punishment for the “heinous crimes.”
In a televised address on Saturday night, Trump, accompanied by Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, cautioned Iran against retaliation, threatening a swift and precise response targeting other sites.
Amid rising tensions, a recent advisory issued on Sunday has heightened concerns.
The advisory, titled “Summary of the Threat to the United States,” indicates that the conflict with Iran is “causing a heightened threat environment.”
The warning details potential “low-level cyber attacks against U.S. networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists” and possible attacks by Iranian government-affiliated cyber actors. It also notes Iran’s continued pursuit of U.S. officials deemed responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander in January 2020.
Qassem Soleimani was assassinated on Jan. 3, 2020, in a drone strike ordered by Trump. His death previously escalated tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with Iranian officials vowing revenge.
The advisory further states that “hacktivists and Iranian government-affiliated actors” frequently target “poorly secured U.S. networks and Internet-connected devices for disruptive cyber attacks.” It also mentions that U.S. law enforcement has “disrupted multiple potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots in the United States since 2020” and that the Iranian government has “unsuccessfully targeted critics of its regime who are based in the Homeland for lethal attack.”
The advisory concludes by warning that the ongoing conflict could “motivate violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators seeking to attack targets perceived to be Jewish, pro-Israel, or linked to the U.S. government or military in the Homeland.”
Amid concerns of a threat to the U.S., how have U.S. lawmakers responded to the strikes on Iran?
Some of Trump’s allies have voiced support for the decision to strike Iran.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, stated, “Good. This was the right call. The regime deserves it. Well done.”
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee echoed Trump’s words, saying that “.”
However, numerous other U.S. lawmakers, including both Republicans and Democrats, have expressed disagreement with Trump, with some even suggesting impeachment due to the reported lack of consultation with Congress.
During a rally on his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour over the weekend, Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont spoke out as the crowd in Oklahoma chanted “no more war.”
“All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The President does not have the right,” Sanders maintained.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, a Democrat who has been on the tour with Sanders, said the strikes are “absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have both criticized Trump’s actions and called for Congress to receive a briefing.
Jeffries stated that Trump “failed to deliver” on his promise of peace in the Middle East, adding, “The risk of war has now dramatically increased, and I pray for the safety of our troops in the region who have been put in harm’s way.”
The criticism extends beyond Democrats.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky described the military action as “.”
Trump responded with a statement, asserting that his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement “doesn’t want [Massie], doesn’t know him, and doesn’t respect him.”
He added that Massie is “disrespectful to [America’s] great military, and all that they stand for, not even acknowledging their brilliance and bravery in yesterday’s attack, which was a total and complete WIN.”
Meanwhile, Massie requested information from Speaker Mike Johnson via social media, asking: “Why didn’t you call us back from vacation to vote on military action if there was a serious threat to our country?”
As world leaders express “” about the strikes and the growing instability in the Middle East and elsewhere, the U.S. awaits a potential response from Iran, which Trump deemed would be a “terrible mistake.”
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