Gov. Janet Mills called President Donald Trump’s joint strikes on Iran “unconstitutional and illegal” during an event on Monday.
“This president is recklessly pushing the United States into a war in the Middle East that is already escalating,” Mills said during an affordable housing event at an Orono apartment building. “It is a dangerous war that has already taken the lives of four American service members and without consulting with Congress.”
On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and caused other destruction. The action incited fear of widespread retaliation and raised questions about whether the president had the authority to launch the attack.
Mills called on members of Congress to “step up” and take control of the nation’s military decisions to prevent further unauthorized strikes.
“He can’t simply go out on his own and engage in a dangerous, reckless, unilateral war with another nation, or series of nations, without at least consulting and getting authorization from Congress,” Mills said. “There are three branches of government, not one.”
Mills’ condemnation of Trump’s actions were more severe than recent comments from some of Maine’s congressional delegation, many of whom questioned the president’s actions and plan.
Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said Friday that Trump should only strike Iran as a “last resort,” then said Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons “pose serious threats to America’s national security” after the strikes were carried out on Saturday.
Mills is running for Collins’ seat in the U.S. Senate. She will first need to win the Democratic primary in June, her biggest challenger for which appears to be newcomer Graham Platner.
In a statement, independent U.S. Sen. Angus King said Trump’s decision left him with several questions and asked what the endgame plan is now that “the goal has moved from elimination of Iran’s nuclear capacity to regime change.”
“As we have learned, toppling a despotic regime is only a first step; the hard question is what comes next and what will it take to ensure that the next regime is not worse than that which went before,” King said.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to reconvene Congress immediately to vote on a bipartisan war powers resolution.
“Congress must reassert its constitutional authority, halt unauthorized military action, and make clear that no president — of either party — has the power to drag this nation into war alone,” Pingree said.
Outgoing U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine’s 2nd District, called it regrettable that negotiations had stalled, noting that Trump needs to consult with Congress in the next few days.
“At this time, my chief concern is for the safety and well-being of the men and women serving the United States in the region,” Golden said. “I appreciate their service and pray for their safety.”
