Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said passing a war powers resolution would strip President Trump of the authority to complete his military operation in Iran, warning that such a move would be a "frightening prospect."
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) plan to force a vote on a war powers resolution this week that would require authorization from Congress before Trump can use military force against Iran again. The pair argued that the operation in Iran puts U.S. troops at risk and isn't emblematic of an "America First" agenda.
The resolution is expected to come to the floor on Thursday, a source told The Hill.
"I think the idea that we would move a War Powers Act vote right now, I mean, it will be forced to the floor, but the idea that we would take the ability of our commander in chief, the president, take his authority away right now to finish this job, is a frightening prospect to me," Johnson told reporters after a briefing on the operation.
"It's dangerous, and I am certainly hopeful, and I believe we do have the votes to put it down. That's going to be a good thing for the country and our security and stability," he added.
The U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran on Saturday after weeks of threats from Trump, who had called for regime change in Tehran. Johnson wrote on the social platform X that Congress's bipartisan "Gang of Eight" was "briefed in detail earlier this week that military action may become necessary to protect American troops and American citizens in Iran."
Trump told CNN on Monday morning that the "big wave" of the operation is yet to come. Asked how long the war will last, Trump said, "I don't want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks. And we're a little ahead of schedule."
Johnson said on Monday that he believes the president "was acting well within his authority" when asked whether he thinks that at any point Congress would need to give congressional authorization.
"It's not a declaration of war. It's not something that the president was required, because it's defensive in nature and in design and in necessity, to come to Congress and get a vote first. And if they had briefed a larger group than the Gang of Eight, you know, there's a real threat that that very sensitive intelligence that we had, you know, might have been leaked or something," he said.
"So, this is why the commander in chief of our armed forces has the latitude that any commander in chief, any president always has, because they have a set of information that is sensitive, timely and urgent, and they have to be able to act upon it. They did that."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), meanwhile, has urged lawmakers to support the war powers resolution, arguing in an interview with CNN on Monday that Trump needs to be constrained.
"There's nowhere in the United States Constitution where it says that we are to be the policemen and women of the world. I mean, that's the reality. Yes, we are the leaders of the free world at this particular point in time, but there's a role for the United States to play in terms of diplomacy, building coalitions, and none of that was done in this particular instance," Jeffries told CNN.
As of last week, Khanna and Massie's measure appeared unlikely to pass, given the overwhelming opposition from Republicans. At least two Democrats -- Reps. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.) and Jared Moskowitz (Fla.), both of whom are close allies of Israel -- had initially expressed their opposition to the resolution; however, it is unclear where they stand now in the wake of the strikes.
But Massie said he wanted to put lawmakers on the record about the issue.
"I am opposed to this War. This is not 'America First.' When Congress reconvenes, I will work with @RepRoKhanna to force a Congressional vote on war with Iran," Massie wrote on X. "The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war."