NYN | News
Progressive lawmakers in the U.S. Congress have intensified their rhetoric toward President Donald Trump’s administration, demanding that the White House provide legal justification for recent airstrikes on Yemen that have left hundreds of civilians dead or wounded. The move may pave the way for invoking the War Powers Resolution of 1973, aimed at limiting U.S. military intervention abroad without congressional authorization.
According to The Intercept, the formal letter—spearheaded by Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, and Val Hoyle and signed by over 30 Democratic members—expressed deep concern over the administration’s bypassing of congressional authority. It stressed that any military intervention in the Middle East must have a clear legal mandate, especially in the absence of a national emergency that would justify circumventing the law.
This move signals a notable shift in the stance of progressive forces within the Democratic Party. While previously focused on issues such as cybersecurity, their criticism now extends to broader concerns over U.S. military involvement in the Yemen war—described in the letter as a long-standing conflict lacking a clear strategy.
The lawmakers warned that continued military operations without congressional approval could lead to dangerous regional escalation and put U.S. forces in the Middle East at increased risk. They described the situation as an unconstitutional conflict that could spiral into a regime-change war.
Although President Trump is not constitutionally obligated to respond to the letter, its contents reflect growing political momentum within Congress—especially as the signatories emphasized that the recent strikes failed to deter Yemeni forces, who have continued their military and naval operations in support of Gaza. These operations have contributed to partial paralysis of international shipping in the Red Sea.
The letter is the latest in a series of congressional efforts to curb U.S. military involvement in Yemen, most notably the 2019 resolution to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition—a resolution ultimately vetoed by President Trump.
Despite a change in administration, the debate has reignited under President Biden, particularly after leaked messages from the Signal app revealed that some U.S. military planners were aware of civilian areas being targeted in Yemen. This disclosure has deepened criticism and heightened suspicions regarding the intentions of both the Trump and Biden administrations.
In this context, Kavan Kharrazian, senior policy advisor at Demand Progress, stated in a joint declaration with several anti-war lobbying organizations that unauthorized strikes represent a blatant violation of the Constitution and the War Powers Act—and signal a slide into an endless, unwinnable war.
The letter is expected to become a new pressure tool within Congress amid the sharp divide between Republicans and Democrats over how to handle the Yemen file and its entangled regional complexities.
