(C) Common Dreams
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June 25, 2025 – Israel-Iran conflict [1]
['Jessie Yeung', 'Angus Watson', 'Sophie Tanno', 'Maureen Chowdhury', "Cnn'S Piper Hudspeth Blackburn", "Cnn'S Lucas Lilieholm", "Cnn'S Sara Anwar", "Cnn'S Alejandra Jaramillo", "Cnn'S Katie Bo Lillis", "Cnn'S Kristen Holmes"]
Date: 2025-06-25 04:06:48.616000+00:00
Rep. Jim Himes speaks to members of the media following vote at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on June 23. Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The top Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees are criticizing the Trump administration in the wake of US strikes in Iran ahead of congressional briefings. The briefings were postponed to Thursday in the Senate and Friday in the House.
Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN today that he had “precisely zero outreach” from the administration “before, during or after this very significant moment,” referring to US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend.
The Connecticut congressman, a member of the Gang of Eight, said earlier in the week that intelligence committee staff had been briefed on Sunday, but he had not personally received a briefing from the administration.
Himes said the way the issue has been handled, “tells me that the Trump administration is not interested in the law and that they’re not interested in the facts. Because obviously, people in a position to know both the intelligence and the armed services … the military aspect of this, where we’re not consulted in the decisions here.”
Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee from Virginia, also warned the Trump administration against misrepresenting intelligence about US strikes in Iran.
“If you start trying to cook intelligence or try to manipulate it in a political fashion … we don’t have a good history with that. That’s how we got into Iraq in the first place,” Warner said. He also said if press reports that the sites are not destroyed are accurate, it opens up questions about whether further military intervention would be needed to finish the mission.
Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters it’s “very surprising” that Congress didn’t receive more information before the strikes, and said the delay in the briefings this week shows the administration is “not conscious of their responsibility to inform Congress.”
Republicans in the know: In the lead-up to the US military strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the White House and GOP congressional leadership were actively helping to shape the message for Trump’s Capitol Hill allies, according to talking points shared with CNN.
The White House, however, has not formally sent any guidance on how to respond to questions over the success of the strikes, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Trump and his team were also in contact with top congressional Republicans before his strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, but some key Democrats were not told of his plans until after the bombs had dropped, according to multiple people familiar with the plans.
CNN’s Sarah Ferris, Annie Grayer and Morgan Rimmer contributed to this post, which has been updated with comments from Sen. Mark Warner.
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[1] Url:
https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-conflict-us-trump-06-25-25-intl-hnk#cmcc3vetl000v3b6u4ncda0gg
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