GOP leaders, Sen. John Fetterman commend Trump’s strikes on Iran: ‘The correct move’

WASHINGTON — Republican leaders in Congress, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman and other lawmakers commended President Trump within minutes of him announcing that the US completed successful airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities Saturday.

“As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS,” the Pennsylvania lawmaker posted on X, in one of the first congressional responses to the bombings. “Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I’m grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.”

Trump posted on his Truth Social a little before 8 p.m. that the US had dropped “a full payload of BOMBS” on the nuclear facility of Fordow and the uranium enrichment sites at Natanz and Esfahan were also struck.

“All planes are now outside of Iran air space,” the president revealed in his 7:50 p.m. EST post. “All planes are safely on their way home.

“Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he added.

Fetterman’s praise was echoed by other key leaders on Capitol Hill like House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

“The military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says,” Johnson said in a statement. “The President gave Iran’s leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement.

“President Trump has been consistent and clear that a nuclear-armed Iran will not be tolerated. That posture has now been enforced with strength, precision, and clarity,” he added. “The President’s decisive action prevents the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, which chants ‘Death to America,’ from obtaining the most lethal weapon on the planet.

“This is America First policy in action. God bless our brave men and women in uniform – the most lethal fighting force on the planet – and we pray for their safe return home. May God bless America,” Johnson also said.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said that Terhan’s regime had “rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace” before Trump took action.

“The regime in Iran, which has committed itself to bringing ‘death to America’ and wiping Israel off the map, has rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace,” Thune said.

“The mullahs’ misguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped. As we take action tonight to ensure a nuclear weapon remains out of reach for Iran, I stand with President Trump and pray for the American troops and personnel in harm’s way,” his statement posted on X read.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who floated a resolution last week to call attention to Congress’ authority to declare war said that Trump’s move was “not Constitutional,” in one of the first statements disagreeing with the commander-in-chief.

“I am glad to see that President Trump and his Administration are taking swift action to prevent the Iranians from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) disagreed in his statement.

“Just a month ago, I was in the Middle East leading a bipartisan congressional delegation, and our allies all agree: Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons. I fully supported Israel’s move to strike Iran, and fully support the deployment of US air assets to finish the job,” Lawler said.