Top U.S. officials will brief the Senate on Thursday, June 26, 2025, regarding President Donald Trump¡¯s airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. The high-stakes classified session follows intense political backlash over the delayed briefing, originally set for Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing to vote on a resolution that would require congressional approval for any future military action in Iran.
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed concern over the White House bypassing Congress in authorising the strikes. They now seek clarity on the intelligence used to justify the mission.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer didn¡¯t hold back. Calling the postponement ¡°outrageous,¡± he said, ¡°Senators deserve full transparency, and the administration has a legal obligation to inform Congress precisely about what is happening.¡± A similar House briefing is now rescheduled for Friday, June 27.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth are scheduled to attend Thursday¡¯s Senate session. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, originally set for Tuesday, will not be present.
The strikes¡¯ effectiveness is under scrutiny after a preliminary intelligence report suggested Iran¡¯s nuclear programme was only delayed by a few months. This contrasts with President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu¡¯s earlier claims of full destruction.
However, Tulsi Gabbard posted on social media Wednesday that ¡°new intelligence confirms what @POTUS has stated numerous times: Iran¡¯s nuclear facilities have been destroyed.¡± She added that rebuilding would ¡°likely take years.¡± John Ratcliffe also defended the operation in a CIA statement, citing ¡°historically reliable¡± sources and stating that Iran¡¯s programme had been ¡°severely damaged.¡±
While most Republicans back Donald Trump and credit him for brokering a ceasefire in the Israel-Iran conflict, not everyone is in agreement. House Speaker Mike Johnson questioned the War Powers Act itself, saying, ¡°The bottom line is the commander in chief is the president.¡±
Senator Rand Paul countered sharply: ¡°I think the speaker needs to review the Constitution.¡± He didn¡¯t confirm whether he would support Senator Tim Kaine¡¯s resolution requiring congressional approval for further strikes, but highlighted unease with unchecked executive military power.
Senator Tim Kaine, although realistic about the resolution¡¯s chances in a Republican-majority Senate, insisted on holding a debate. ¡°The American public, whose sons and daughters are in the military... get to see the debate and reach their own conclusion,¡± Kaine said.
President Donald Trump did not seek approval before the airstrikes, but on Monday, two days after the action, he sent a letter to Congress. The letter stated that the strikes were carried out ¡°to advance vital United States national interests, and in collective self-defense of our ally, Israel, by eliminating Iran¡¯s nuclear programme.¡±
With pressure mounting on all sides, the Senate steps into a storm of secrecy, power struggles, and contested intelligence.
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