For two decades, Democrats rang the bell over Iran. Remember when Hillary Clinton dared to question Barack Obama’s diplomacy efforts with Iran, calling him “naïve?”
Kamala Harris has called Iran America's "greatest adversary" and said it "has American blood on their hands." Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has accused Trump of "chickening out" on military action against Iran.
Operation Epic Fury should have been an opportunity for congressional and presidential unity, but it was approved by Trump, which means Democrats immediately opposed it. This week, while on the Hill answering for the operation, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Democrats the one question that exposes their hypocrisy: “Who are you rooting for?”
Pete Hegseth was not my choice for Secretary of Defense. He was not even on my radar. I still think he is more photo-op than substance, but in this case, he hit a home run.
This administration, more specifically, Secretary Hegseth, has been accused of misleading the American people regarding Operation Epic Fury, but I disagree.
The administration came out within a few days of the operation’s start, announcing the goals, how long they expected it to last, and why the operation was approved. However, it was all ignored by Democrats and the media.
Instead, the talking point became that there was no “imminent” threat by Iran, so the operation never should have been launched. At the time, I backed the operation, even backing Trump’s initial rejection of the Iran cease-fire in a deep-dive report (click here to read that report).
Hegseth was called to the Hill to defend Operation Epic Fury as the 60-day clock runs out on Trump’s war powers. He knew he was coming into a hostile environment, and if there is one thing Hegseth is good at, it is dealing with a confrontational media and Congress. For all his faults, he does not back down from a fight.
He came out firing, with Stars and Stripes reporting him ripping into Congress, stating:
“We are proud of this undertaking. I am proud that President (Donald) Trump has had the courage to do it.”
Then it was the turn for those who have never supported this effort, with Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) firing the first shot, stating:
“You have misled the public about why we are at war. You and the president have offered ever-changing reasons for this war. The strategy has been an outstanding example of incompetence.”
This was when Hegseth landed the kill shot, responding:
“Who you cheering for here? Who you pulling for? Our troops are doing incredible work. They’ve done incredible things for the entirety of this mission and achieved incredible battlefield successes. And you sit there and go on TV for your clickbait about quagmires.”
In past administrations, even when they did not approve of a strike, Congress has rallied behind the president to show strength and unity. That has not been the case here. The odd thing is that prior to Trump taking office, this is exactly what Democrats were warning against and calling for, but Trump being president changed everything.
In 2006, Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) warned of Iran having nuclear capabilities, saying that the terrorist nation was "only months" away from developing a nuclear weapon reported Al Jazeera. He then added:
“But that should not be an option at this point. We ought to use everything else possible keep from getting to that juncture."
In 2008, during the Democrat primary race, Hillary called Obama "naive" and "irresponsible" for wanting to deal with Iran diplomatically, reported CBS News.
During Kamala Harris’ “60 Minutes” interview, she considered Iran the biggest threat to this country, stating:
"I think there's an obvious one in mind, which is Iran. Iran has American blood on their hands."
She also claimed to support Israel at the time, stating:
"I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular as it relates to Iran and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel."
In 2015, Sen. Chuck Schumer also warned about Iran, ripping Obama’s deal, reported the BBC, stating:
"The very real risk that Iran will not moderate and will, instead, use the agreement to pursue its nefarious goals is too great."
After Operation Epic Fury was launched in February, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) acknowledged the threat of Iran, but he is upset that Trump did not seek congressional approval first, stating:
“Iran is a bad actor and must be aggressively confronted for its human rights violations, nuclear ambitions, support of terrorism and the threat it poses to our allies like Israel and Jordan in the region.”
In reality, per the War Powers Act, Trump can order a strike or operation, but he only has 60 days to bring it to completion. At that point, he needs congressional approval to extend an additional 30 days or have Congress make a formal declaration of war. This is Jeffries stomping his feet because Trump did not ask Democrats for approval first, nothing else.
To that point, Democrats have filed War Powers resolutions five times, and they have all failed.
One of the more ironic flips is Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
When President Barack Obama ordered the operation against Libya in 2011, she did not hesitate to support him. At the time, she stated:
"I'm satisfied that the president has the authority to go ahead."
After Trump ordered Operation Epic Fury to move forward, according to Fox News, she responded:
"The Constitution is clear: decisions that lead our nation into war must be authorized by Congress."
Mind you, the timeline in terms of informing Congress and making public announcements about the operation was almost identical for the Obama and Trump administrations. The only variable was the target and the fact that Trump was in office this time.
As we showed above, for two decades, Democrats have considered Iran an existential threat, but now Trump has apparently scratched an itch by ordering a strike for no apparent reason, according to Democrats.
Their own statements, however, prove that it is absolutely not the case:
| Who | What They Said About Iran (Before) | What They Say Now |
|---|---|---|
| Kamala Harris | Iran is America's "greatest adversary." "Iran has American blood on their hands." Ensuring Iran never achieves nuclear capability is "one of my highest priorities." (60 Minutes, Oct 2024) | "Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want." "This is a dangerous and unnecessary gamble with American lives that also jeopardizes stability in the region and our standing in the world. What we are witnessing is not strength. It is recklessness dressed up as resolve." Called it "Trump's war of choice." (The Advocate, Feb 28, 2026) |
| Chuck Schumer | Accused Trump of "folding on Iran." Posted video bemoaning that "Trump always chickens out" regarding military force. Opposed Obama's Iran deal in 2015, saying "the very real risk that Iran will not moderate and will, instead, use the agreement to pursue its nefarious goals is too great." | "The American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East." Demanded Trump explain objectives and "be straight with Congress." Supported War Powers resolution to limit Trump's military authority. |
| Hakeem Jeffries | Called Iran a regime that "must be aggressively confronted for its human rights violations, nuclear ambitions, support of terrorism." Called Iran a "grave threat to the entire free world." | Called the war a "costly, prolonged military quagmire." Demanded Trump "provide an ironclad justification for this act of war." When asked about Pelosi's Libya hypocrisy, said Iran is "very different." |
| Nancy Pelosi | "I'm satisfied that the president has the authority to go ahead." When asked if Obama could continue Libya strikes without congressional approval: "Yes." (2011) | "President Trump's decision to initiate military hostilities into Iran starts another unnecessary war which endangers our servicemembers." "The Constitution is clear: decisions that lead our nation into war must be authorized by Congress." (2026) |
| Hillary Clinton | Argued Bush was not taking the threat of a nuclear Iran seriously enough. Insisted military options must be "actively considered." Called Obama "naive" and "irresponsible" for wanting to diplomatically engage with Iran. (2008 primaries) | — |
| 2024 Democratic Platform | Attacked Trump from the right on Iran, accusing him of "fecklessness and weakness." Criticized him for NOT responding militarily when U.S. forces were attacked by Iranian proxies. Contrasted Trump's restraint with Biden ordering airstrikes. | Party now opposes military action against Iran under Trump. Five War Powers resolutions filed to limit Trump's authority. All five failed. |
| Rep. John Garamendi | — | Called Operation Epic Fury a "geopolitical calamity," a "strategic blunder," and a "self-inflicted wound to America." Accused Hegseth of "lying to the American public about this war from day one." Called the war a "quagmire" on national television. |
| Rep. Adam Smith | — | "Iran's nuclear program is exactly what it was before this." Called Trump's war "a massive strategic blunder that shows no sign of slowing down." |
| The pattern: For 20 years, Democrats called Iran an existential threat. They accused Trump of weakness for not striking. They called Obama "naive" for wanting diplomacy. They wrote a party platform attacking Trump from the right on Iran. Then Trump acted. Overnight, the existential threat became an "unnecessary war," a "quagmire," and "recklessness dressed up as resolve." The threat didn't change. The president did.
Sources: 60 Minutes (CBS), The Advocate, Fox News, PBS, Reason, Truthout, Democracy Now, Slate, The Nation, Time, Stars and Stripes, Washington Times, CNBC, AP, congressional records. |
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There has also been resistance among Republicans, but it has been done far differently than how Democrats have been handling this.
For instance, Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) has been very vocal over the firing of Gen. Randy George, the U.S. Army’s former chief of staff. He did not fire off bogus allegations; instead, according to The Hill, he stated:
“I would like for Secretary Hegseth to answer the reason why they were dismissed. And I think that the way Gen. George and his wife Patty were treated will have a chilling effect on the way our services operate in the future.”
It’s a hard criticism, but it is not disrespectful by any means.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who has been a thorn in the side of Trump during his second administration, has also resisted the operation. Right after it started, Fox News reported him as posting to X:
"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. The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war."
It is an attack for sure, but unlike what Democrats are saying, he is keeping it about his opinion of the operation.
I don’t expect every member of Congress to support this operation, but I surely did not expect them to feed the enemy propaganda to use against our country. That, however, is what Democrats have done.
The narrative being pushed by Democrats emboldened allegations of war crimes, among other charges, to be made. They have somehow turned a terrorist nation into a victim.
If you want to object to the operation, vote against its funding. Wait out the clock and block the operation from being extended beyond the 60 days, but don’t call it a “geopolitical calamity” while we have soldiers, airmen, Marines, and sailors putting their lives on the line. It demeans their sacrifice and is, quite frankly, unpatriotic and utterly disgusting.
You surely do not post the response of “Awesome” like Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) after an Iranian ship avoids our naval blockade, then try to play it off as sarcasm, as reported by Fox News.
Hegseth asked Democrats the question: “Who Are You Rooting For?”
If you have been paying attention over the last decade, they have already answered it… Not America.
