Questions are mounting at the U.S. Capitol over the Trump administration’s shifting rationale for going to war with Iran.
Election results: Key races to watch in March 2026 primaryElection results 2026: South-Central Texas and Hill Country local races, Democrat and Republican primariesBexar County Judge: Peter Sakai, Ron Nirenberg face off for Democratic nomination in March 2026 primaryRead full article: AMBER Alert issued for missing 17-year-old girl last seen on West SideKSAT Q&A: San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones says she ‘wants to move forward’ after censure Read full article: KSAT Q&A: San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones says she ‘wants to move forward’ after censure Politics Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters as he arrives for an intelligence briefing with top lawmakers on Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, March 2, 2026.
President Donald Trump departs after a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Monday, March 2, 2026, in Washington. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., arrives for a briefing for Senators on Iran at a secure room in the basement of the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrives for a briefing for lawmakers on Iran at a secure room in the basement of the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Senate Intelligence Committee Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., speaks to reporters following a House and Senate Intelligence Committees briefing about the war in Iran at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, March 2, 2026. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters as he arrives for an intelligence briefing with top lawmakers on Iran, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, March 2, 2026. as lawmakers demand answers over the strategy, exit plan and costs to Americans in lives and dollars for what is quickly becoming a Trump officials made their case at the Capitol during a second day of closed-door briefings, this time with all members of the House and Senate ahead of a looming"The president determined we were not going to get hit first. It’s that simple,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a testy exchange with reporters at the Capitol.a day earlier that Trump decided to strike Iran because Israel was ready to act first. Instead, he said Trump made the decision to attack this past weekend because it presented a unique opportunity with maximum chance for success. “There is no way in the world that this terroristic regime was going to get nuclear weapons, not under Donald Trump’s watch," he said. The sudden pivot to a U.S. wartime footing has disrupted the political and policy agenda on Capitol Hill and raised uneasy questions about the risks ahead for a prolonged conflict and regime change after the— among the most consequential votes a lawmaker can take, with the war well underway — as administration officials are telling lawmakers they will likely need supplemental funds to pay for the conflict. It comes at the start of a highly competitiveSenate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer left the closed hearing, saying he was concerned about “mission creep” in a long war.Monday that the president, believing that Israel was ready to act, decided it was better for the U.S. to launch a preemptive strike to prevent Iran's potential retaliation on American military bases and interests abroad. Sen. Angus King, the independent from Maine, said it’s “very disturbing” that Trump took the U.S. to war becauseDefense official Elbridge Colby told senators the president directed the military campaign to destroy Iranian missiles and deny the country nuclear weapons. Trump himself disputed the idea that Israel had forced his hand. In his own Oval Office remarks, he said,"I might might have forced their hand.”“How about we say, ‘Thank you, Mr. President, for finally getting rid of this nuisance,’” he said. But Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., demanded to know how this fits into Trump’s “America First” campaign promise not to commit U.S. troops to protracted military campaigns abroad.“’America First’ and ‘peace through strength’ are served by rolling back — as the military campaign is designed to do — the threats posed,” Colby responded. “This is certainly not nation-building. This is not going to be endless.”Questions are growing over who will lead Iran after the death of Khamenei, who has ruled the country for decades, and worries of a leadership vacuum that creates unrest. Democrats warned against sending U.S. military troops into Iran after more than two decades of war in Iraq and Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. “I am more fearful than ever we may be putting boots on the ground,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., after the closed briefing. And while House Republicans applauded in support of the Trump administration's operations, warning signs flared. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he supports the operation, for now. “My flag starts going up, the longer this goes, my flag starts going up, the more there’s boots on the ground,” he said. Many lawmakers expressed concern over the number of Americans calling their offices seeking help evacuating from the region as the war spreads. “It's getting worse, not better,” said Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., a former Army Ranger. Trump, in calling for Iranians to seize this opportunity to take back their country, has acknowledged the uncertainty. “Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” Trump said Tuesday. He also panned the idea of elevating Reza Pahlavi, the exiled crown prince of Iran’s last shah, to take over in Iran.“That's going to be largely up to the Iranian people,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican. House Speaker Mike Johnson said flatly, “We have no ability to get into the nation-building business.”Both the House and Senate are preparing to vote on war powers resolutions that would restrain Trump's ability to continue waging war on Iran without approval from Congress. Under the U.S. Constitution, it's up to Congress, not the president, to decide when the country goes to war. But lawmakers often shirk that duty, enabling the executive branch to amass more power to send the military into combat without congressional approval. “Why are we spending billions of dollars to bomb Iran?” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who said there would be strong support from Democrats for the resolution. But Johnson has said it would be “frightening” and “dangerous” to tie the president's hands at this time, when the U.S. is already engaged in combat. Other lawmakers have suggested that if Congress does not vote to restrain Trump, it should next consider an Authorization of the Use of Military Force, which would require lawmakers to go on record with affirmative support for the Iran operation. “The reason why there’s so much consternation on our side is because President Trump has not given us a clear reason why he is in Iran,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. “If he wants to declare war on Iran, that is the job and responsibility of Congress under the Constitution.”Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Some Northwest Side apartment residents spend 2 days without electricityFIRST 24/7 P. Terry’s location in San Antonio!Get ready for election day in Bexar County- What are the big races happening?Iranian ballistic missile attacks strike heart of Tel AvivSan Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones censured in historic firstSan Antonio's Animal Care Services is trying to track down a cat with a jar stuck on its headDennis Quaid greets the crowd at President Trump's rallyWoman brutally attacked by husband who killed daughter, attacked other child gives impact statementAvery Everett is in Corpus Christi ahead of President Donald Trump’s expected visit on FridayThe high for Feb. 26, 2026, was 93 degrees making Thursday the hottest February day since 1996!Neighbor, police still haunted by unsolved murder of woman on East SideNew West Side thrift store supports at-risk shelter animals
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