Trump avoids word 'war' to describe Iran conflict 'because you're supposed to get approval' [View all]

Source: The Hill

03/25/26 9:30 PM ET


President Trump said Wednesday at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s (NRCC) annual fundraising dinner that he avoids using the word “war” to describe the conflict in Iran.

“I won’t use the word ‘war’ because they say if you use the word ‘war,’ that’s maybe not a good thing to do,” Trump told the crowd of GOP lawmakers at Union Station in Washington, D.C. “They don’t like the word ‘war’ because you’re supposed to get approval. So, I’ll use the word ‘military operation’, which is really what it is. It’s a military decimation.”

The U.S. and Israel first launched strikes on Tehran late last month, and the White House has said there have been “productive conversations” wiith Iran. Tehran, however, has largely rebuffed the administration, including a ceasefire proposal, in recent days.

The Constitution states that only Congress can declare war, but while lawmakers and even Trump himself have used the word “war” to describe military operations in Iran, others have maintained the U.S. is not at war. Since the initial strikes in Februrary, Democrats in Congress have argued that the president needs to get approval from the legislative branch before using more military force in Iran.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5801382-trump-iran-war-congressional-approval/