Republican senators have defended Donald Trump’s decision to launch a war against Iran, but some Democrats, while welcoming the elimination of the Iranian senior leadership, said the case for the attack should have been made to the American public and Congress.
Three US service members have been killed so far in the military operation, and Trump appeared to link the ordering of the attack to his 2020 election loss.
The US president also said he was willing to speak to the remaining members of Iran’s regime after the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader, was confirmed by the US on Saturday afternoon.
Trump allies defend Iran strikes as Democrats call it a ‘war of choice’
Allies of the Trump administration reinforced on Sunday its messaging on the Israel-US strikes on Iran, while Democrats decried it as a “war of choice” that required congressional approval. The Republican senators Tom Cotton and Lindsey Graham defended the attack in television appearances as Democrats said the Trump administration must answer vital questions.
Trump appears to link Iran attack to his 2020 election loss
Donald Trump appeared to link the massive attack he ordered against Iran to his persistent claims about his 2020 election loss in a social media post about allegations that Tehran’s government interfered in the US elections. This is the second military operation of the Trump administration where the president alluded to allegations concerning the 2020 result. He made similar comments on social media in January, days after Trump ordered the Delta Force “rendition” of Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro.
Trump open to talks with Iran as conflict deepens in Middle East
Donald Trump said on Sunday he was prepared to talk to what was left of the Iranian leadership after the killing of the country’s supreme leader by US-Israeli airstrikes aimed at overthrowing the regime.
Trump was speaking as a second day of intense bombing of Iranian cities and Tehran’s missile counterattacks sent tremors across the region and through the global economy.
US allies and foes left scrambling as Iran attack catches them off-guard
Trump’s attack on Iran has highlighted the new rules of geopolitics, with US allies caught unaware, including one G7 defence minister who was unaware of the military action being grounded in Dubai as bombs fell.
Three US service members killed in Iran operation
Three US service members have been killed in action as part of US military operations against Iran, the US Central Command said in a statement on Sunday. These are the first confirmed deaths since the US began launching strikes against Iran on Saturday.
Catching up? Here’s what happened on 28 February 2026.
