President Donald Trump’s own words about the war with Iran are being used against him in a new lawsuit seeking a court ruling that the months-long conflict is unconstitutional.
The new lawsuit filed by the National Iranian American Council in federal court argued that Trump launched and is continuing his war without authorization from Congress. The group asked a federal judge to declare that the president is violating the Constitution’s provision giving Congress the power to declare war.
“The bombing and other acts of war, such as a blockade, continue with no end in sight,” the group says in its lawsuit.
The complaint points specifically to Trump’s April 7 post on his Truth Social platform: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”
It also cites a more direct comment about congressional approval. Trump said he avoided calling the conflict “a war because you’re supposed to get approval,” according to the court filing. “So I’ll use the word ‘military operation.’”
The group says its members have relatives in Iran who have been injured by the months-long war.
“They are all in imminent danger of harm to their persons and properties proximately caused by the unconstitutional war waged by defendant President Donald J. Trump,” the Sept. 24 lawsuit says, which names Trump as the sole defendant.
The group is seeking a declaration that Trump “is unconstitutionally waging an indefinite war of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“Absent a declaration from this Court that defendant’s continuing presidential war of aggression violates the Constitution, the war will continue indefinitely and will cause imminent threats to the lives, limbs, health, property, and bare necessities of all Iranians, including those whose families are members of plaintiff NIAC Action,” the group said.