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Amid ongoing hostilities with Iran, Democrats ignored earlier calls from some figures in their party for the U.S. military to “refuse illegal orders,” even as they broadly maintained that President Donald Trump’s use of the military is on shaky ground without approval from lawmakers.
“The troops are not to blame for this illegal war. The responsibility lies solely and simply with the president,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
“We always support the troops. They are following orders,” said Rep. Daren Soto, D-Fla. “It’s a debate about whether we should be there or not.”
The comments come just months after six members of Congress with military experience urged service members to ignore unconstitutional directives.
GOP BLOCKS BOOKER-LEADED PUSH TO STOP TRUMP’S MILITARY AUTHORITY IN IRAN
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 27: US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks to reporters outside the Senate Chamber after voting at the US Capitol on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Senate will resume budget negotiations after the House passed the spending bill on February 25, 2025. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images) (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
“They must reject illegal orders,” said Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. “Don’t abandon ship.”
The six members included: Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.
Lawmakers did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital when asked what those calls meant in the context of the conflict with Iran.
A MONTH AT WAR WITH IRAN: CAN WASHINGTON DEFINE VICTORY?
Efforts to pass a war powers resolution that would limit Trump’s military powers in Iran have failed amid a stark partisan divide over whether the president’s actions fall within what the Constitution allows without congressional approval.
A war power resolution that would have forced Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran failed in the House of Representatives in a 213-214 vote Thursday.
Democrats, citing the War Powers Act of 1973, point out that the law requires a president to obtain approval from lawmakers before engaging in a conflict lasting more than 60 days.
FETTERMAN BREAKS WITH DEMOCRATS, SAYS TRUMP’S MILITARY ATTACKS AGAINST IRAN HAVE ‘MADE THE WORLD SAFER’
A plume of smoke rises from the site of an attack in Tehran early on March 28, 2026. (Atta Kenare/AFP)
“The president says it’s a ‘field trip,’ but it’s not,” said Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill. “We have to call it what it is. It’s a war.”
Republicans and other advocates of the conflict have noted that the war with Iran has not yet reached that mark.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., joined Republicans in rejecting challenges to the president’s authority.
DEMOCRATS THREATEN TO SHUT DOWN THE SENATE TO FORCE PUBLIC HEARINGS IN IRAN
“I’ve been the only Democrat to support Epic Fury,” Fetterman said, referring to the operative name for the Iran conflict.
“And now we’ve been at this for 48 days. None of this has been illegal,” he added.
Still, Democrats have criticized the president for dragging the country into a conflict they say is far from a meaningful resolution.
Blumenthal called on the administration to provide lawmakers with more information about a possible timeline for resolution and more details about the status of the conflict.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., speaks with a reporter as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol for a vote on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc.)
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“One of the complaints, and it’s bipartisan, is that we don’t have any accurate information about how the blockade is going, what the costs of war are, even in a classified environment,” Blumenthal said.
Although Trump has said that talks between the United States and Iran are aimed at ending the conflict for good, it is not yet clear whether the ceasefire talks will lead to a permanent cessation of hostilities.