WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 The Trump administration on Tuesday postponed classified briefings for Senate and House members as lawmakers look for more answers about President Donald Trump's directed strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend and his announcement on Monday that the two countries had reached a ceasefire agreement.
The Senate briefing has been rescheduled for Thursday so that Defense Secretary and Secretary of State can attend, according to multiple people with knowledge of the scheduling change who would only discuss it on the condition of anonymity. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on social media that the House briefing will now be held on Friday, 鈥渄etails to follow.鈥
Trump proclaimed on social media that of their conflict. Tuesday when Israel accused Iran of launching missiles into its airspace, but Trump later declared it was 鈥渋n effect!鈥
The separate briefings for the House and Senate were to be led by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of 好色tv Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, along with Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and deputy secretaries of state Christopher Landau and Steve Feinberg.
Democrats in Congress, along with some Republicans, about Trump鈥檚 unilateral decision to launch military action, arguing he should have gone to Congress for approval 鈥 or at least provided more justification for the attacks. Congress has not received any new intelligence since Gabbard told lawmakers in March that the U.S. believed , according to two people familiar with the intelligence. The people insisted on anonymity to share what Congress has been told.
Senate Democratic Leader said it is 鈥渙utrageous鈥 that the administration postponed the briefings.
鈥淭here is a legal obligation for the administration to inform Congress about precisely what is happening,鈥 Schumer said. 鈥淲hat are they afraid of? Why won鈥檛 they engage Congress in the critical details?鈥
California Rep. , chair of the House Democratic caucus, said that lawmakers "need evidence, we need details and we need to know them now.鈥
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., defended the administration's handling of the information, saying the briefings were postponed because 鈥渢he situation is still developing" amid the recent ceasefire announcement.
on what led to the strikes and amid escalating tensions between the White House and Congress over the role of the United States internationally 鈥 disagreements that don鈥檛 always fall along party lines.
Democrats have been generally suspicious of the Republican president鈥檚 strategy, and his motives abroad, but some believe the U.S. could have a role in supporting Israel against Iran. Others strongly believe the U.S. should stay out of it.
Some of Trump鈥檚 strongest Republican supporters agree with the Democrats who oppose intervention, echoing the president's years of arguments against 鈥渇orever wars.鈥 But most Republicans enthusiastically backed the strikes, saying Trump should have the power to act on his own.
The House Speaker said Tuesday that the strikes on Iran鈥檚 nuclear facilities were "clearly鈥 within Trump鈥檚 powers and went as far as to question the constitutionality of the , which is intended to give Congress a say in military action.
鈥淭he bottom line is the commander in chief is the president, the military reports to the president, and the person empowered to act on the nation鈥檚 behalf is the president,鈥 Johnson told reporters.
After Trump first announced a ceasefire between the two countries on Monday, Republicans immediately praised him. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, suggested in a post on X that Trump should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., posted: 鈥淗istoric! The President of Peace!鈥
But Democrats said they wanted more information. After Iran鈥檚 retaliation on the U.S. base in Qatar earlier in the day on Monday, Schumer said he wanted an additional classified briefing 鈥渓aying out the full threat picture, the intelligence behind Iran鈥檚 retaliation, and the details, scope, and timeline of any U.S. response.鈥
Senate Democrats are also forcing a vote as soon as this week on a resolution by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., requiring congressional approval for specific military action in Iran.
鈥淵ou have a debate like this so that the entire American public, whose sons and daughters are in the military and whose lives will be at risk in war, get to see the debate and reach their own conclusion together with the elected officials about whether the mission is worth it or not,鈥 Kaine said.
While he did not seek approval, Trump sent congressional leaders a short letter Monday serving as his official notice of the strikes, two days after the bombs fell.
Trump said the attacks were 鈥渓imited in scope and purpose鈥 and 鈥渄esigned to minimize casualties, deter future attacks and limit the risk of escalation.鈥
___
Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Leah Askarinam, Matt Brown and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
