Multiple Republican lawmakers have claimed that United States and Israeli strikes on Iran are not considered war.
Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Reps. Tim Burchett of Tennessee and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida have all come out stating that the strike on Iran are war. The claims follow President Donald Trump ordering U.S. forces to launch targeted attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran alongside Israeli forces on Feb. 28. (RELATED: Strategic US Base Finds Itself In CCP-Linked Country’s Crosshairs Amid Iran War)
“This isn’t a war. We haven’t declared war,” Mullin said in an appearance on CNN Monday, later adding that the now-deceased Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “declared war on us. We are not at war with the Iranian people.”
Johnson echoed that position in a 1017 FM radio interview Monday, asserting that the U.S. is not at war with Iran. “This isn’t a war. We haven’t declared war … We’re not at war with Iran. We’re making sure that they do not have the capability to harm us anymore,” Johnson said.
Johnson also declined to characterize the military action as a war, instead describing it an operation or “defensive strike” that is “not a declaration of war.” He argued that Trump was “fully within his authority as commander in chief” without needing congressional approval for these actions. (RELATED: Democrats Who Railed Against Trump’s Iran Strikes Say It Was ‘Very Different’ When Obama Bombed Libya)
Johnson said he believed the Trump administration “did the right thing” and argued against passage of a war powers resolution in Wednesday remarks.
“We did the right thing. I think passage of a war powers resolution right now would be a terrible, dangerous idea for all the reasons I’ve just explained,” Johnson told reporters. “It would empower our enemies. It would kneecap our own forces, and it would take the ability of the U.S. military and the commander in chief away from completing this critical mission to keep everybody safe.”
MIKE JOHNSON: “I think passage of a War Powers Resolution right now would be a terrible, dangerous idea… It would empower our enemies, it would kneecap our own forces, and it would take the ability of the U.S. military and the Commander-in-Chief away from completing this… pic.twitter.com/oZZoSNhfPu
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) March 4, 2026
Burchett also spoke about the escalating conflict in a interview with ABC News’ Rhiannon Ally. He claimed “it’s not a war” and that the U.S. is “having a conflict with their leadership and some of their military leaders that have oppressed their own people,” citing radical Islamic acts against the Iranian population.
Luna argued that the U.S. is not at “war” with Iran in an interview with MS NOW’s The Weekend: Primetime on Sunday. The congresswoman argued that “targeted military strikes and invasions are two totally different things” and pushed back against media characterizations by noting the absence of “boots on the ground.” (RELATED: REPORT: Israel Bombs Iranian Leaders Voting On Next Supreme Leader)
The Senate is expected to vote Wednesday on a war powers resolution led by Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and backed by Republican Sen. Rand Paul. The measure would require a simple majority of 51 votes to pass. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the chamber. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has said he does not plan to support the resolution, Politico reported.
The Daily Caller reached out to Luna, Mullin and Burchett for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.
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