By Tiffany Williams –
On Sunday morning, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara visited the historic Western Wall in Jerusalem, a site of great significance to the Jewish people. During this visit, Netanyahu recited a heartfelt prayer for the wellbeing of President Donald Trump. Netanyahu expressed his gratitude, stating that Trump has stood alongside the State of Israel in its forceful operations in Iran and provided important assistance in defending Israel’s cities.
In a symbolic gesture, Netanyahu placed a handwritten note into the crevices of the Western Wall. The note read, “A people has risen up as a lion. We will continue to do wonders and miracles to ensure the eternity of Israel for generations.”
As Netanyahu prayed for President Trump in the sacred city, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on various Sunday morning news programs to discuss Saturday’s U.S. military strikes on Iran that took place the previous Saturday.
On NBC’s Meet the Press, Vice President Vance clarified the scope of U.S. actions, asserting, “We’re not at war with Iran … We destroyed the Iranian nuclear program … and we did it without endangering the lives of American pilots. That’s an incredible thing.” He emphasized that the U.S. does not seek conflict but rather aims for peace. “We do not want war with Iran. We actually want peace, but we want peace in the context of them not having a nuclear weapons program — and that’s exactly what the President accomplished last night.
Addressing the possibility of Iranian retaliation, Vance stated, “We’re prepared in the event the that the Iranians do retaliate, but … if the Iranians want to enlarge this by attacking American troops, I think that would be a catastrophic mistake.” He reiterated that the administration has no desire for a prolonged conflict or the deployment of ground troops, stating, “We have no interest in a protracted conflict. We have no interest in boots on the ground. The President has actually been one of the fiercest critics of 25 years of failed foreign policy in the Middle East, which is why he did what he did — a very precise, a very surgical strike tailored to an American national interest.”
On CBS’s Face the Nation, Secretary of State Rubio discussed the future trajectory of U.S.-Iran relations. He said, “What happens next will now depend on what Iran chooses to do next. If they choose the path of diplomacy, we’re ready. We can do a deal that’s good for them, the Iranian people, and good for the world. If they choose another route, then there’ll be consequences.”
Rubio elaborated on the nature of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, stating, “They had everything they need to build nuclear weapons. Why would you bury things in a mountain 300 feet under the ground? Why do they have 60% enriched uranium? … The only countries in the world that have uranium at 60% are countries that have nuclear weapons because they can quickly make it 90%.”
Regarding the hope for a peaceful resolution, Rubio remarked, “Let’s all hope that they actually decide, ‘let’s go negotiate’ because we want a diplomatic and peaceful solution.”
As discussions unfolded, voices of dissent emerged from the Democratic Party regarding President Trump’s military actions against Iran. Congressman Jim McGovern from Massachusetts expressed his outrage on X, stating, “This is insane. Trump just bombed Iran without Congressional approval, illegally dragging us into war in the Middle East. Have we not learned our lesson!?!?”
Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), a former CIA analyst with extensive experience in Iraq and national security, demanded accountability, saying, “I expect a full, classified brief on the strikes in Iran, and the strategy and force protection plans, as soon as possible. In the meantime, tonight I’m focused on the safety of the over 40,000 U.S. forces in the Middle East, and their loved ones back home, concerned about retaliation and what comes next.” She emphasized, “The real question is: what happens the day after? A strike can have major repercussions for safety and stability across the region. As someone who served in Iraq and saw up close the loss of blood and treasure over 20 years, I don’t want to be embroiled in another drawn out conflict, and neither do the American people. This is exactly why our founders built a role for Congress on issues of war and peace — to ensure questions of real consequence are answered before American men and women are engaged in war.”
Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY) also weighed in on the issue, stating on X, “I fully support reasserting Congress’s war powers. But in doing so, we must be honest: presidents of both parties have unilaterally undertaken major military operations without Congressional authorization. If there is a serious effort to reclaim those powers, I would vote for it—because the principle at stake is larger than any single conflict. On matters of war, trade, and immigration, Congress has ceded far too much authority to the executive. Reclaiming that authority is critical to restoring Congress as the Article I branch of government, as the Founders intended.”
Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the House Minority Leader, voiced his concern, stating, “Donald Trump promised to bring peace to the Middle East. He has failed to deliver on that promise. The risk of war has now dramatically increased, and I pray for the safety of our troops in the region who have been put in harm’s way. President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East. First, the Trump administration bears the heavy burden of explaining to the American people why this military action was undertaken. Second, Congress must be fully and immediately briefed in a classified setting. Third, Donald Trump shoulders complete and total responsibility for any adverse consequences that flow from his unilateral military action.”